Mickey Mantle Handwritten Letter to Merlyn

This extraordinary letter was written by Mickey Mantle to his fiancee Merlyn, barely a month after his arrival in New York City for his rookie year with the Yankees. Contained within its original New York Yankees, Inc. envelope, it is addressed simply to "Miss Merlyn Johnson, Picher, Oklahoma". The post mark is May 19, 1951. Both pages of the three-sided document (it is a two sheet letter with one sheet written both sides), are New York Yankees letterhead. The letter remains in excellent condition. As one can easily see by reading the text (below), Mickey speaks of life in New York City while repeatedly professing his love for Merlyn. He refers to his Yankees roommates Hank Bauer and Johnny Hopp. This wonderful letter has been placed in this auction by the Mantle family and importantly, is the only such letter ever offered to the public. On it appears: Sat. May 19 Dearest Merlyn – I got your letter today with the picture. I guess I'll have to admit that you were a little bit better looking than I was in it. You wouldn't care if they fired you would you. Honey I have been looking at the suits up here and there are some real pretty blue ones. When you get here we will go by out the town. Honey, you said in your letter that you bet that I tired of having you tell me that you love me. I wouldn't care what else you put in a letter just you tell me that, Because I love you & miss you more than anything else in the world. I wish you were right now. Right now I am rooming with Hank Bauer & Johnny Hopp we have an apartment. They are both married & so I run around with them. So you can tell the people around there that I don't even see these girls up here for dreaming about you. Wednesday we went to a banquet & they gave us about a hundred dollars worth of clothes. We got rained out today I wrote mom & dad a little while ago & told mom to pay off our rings. I bet that Dawson was getting worried. Honey on the radio some guy is signing a love song & I keep wishing you were laying in here in the room with me. Honey I will close for now write & send me the pictures of you in your shorts & any more that you have. I will always love you. Mickey