By Jim Ellis
The News-Record
COMMERCE < A bat autographed by former New York Yankeesı star Don Mattingly
is among the items added to the twin auctions that will be staged in
conjunction with this weekıs Mickey Mantle Wood Bat Classic and "An
Evening
with Hall of Fame Pitcher Ferguson Jenkins."
The tournament, in its eighth year, starts Tuesday with five games on tap.
Competition runs through Saturday.
The banquet starts at
joint effort of the Classic and the Mickey Mantle Memorial Trust.
Tickets are $40 each and are still available at the News-Record office (14
1st NW), The Gym (2223
School
Brian Waybright, tournament director and banquet
coordinator, said that
along with the bat, there is a photo of Mattingly
signing the black and
silver Rawlings bat as well as a letter of authenticity.
The bat and a number of watercolors from
aficionado David Pucciarelli arrived this week,
according to Waybright.
It will be available during a silent auction Saturday at the Classic.
Pucciarelli artwork on the block includes watercolors
of Mattingly and
former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway < an
admitted Mantle fan.
"Thatıs why he wore No. 7," Waybright said.
Also available will be a Pucciarelli pencil print of
Mantle rounding third
base following his 500th home run.
One of the featured items at the banquet auction will be the back of a
bleacher seat from historic Wrigley Field, autographed by Jenkins.
The bleacher seat includes statistics from Jenkinsı stellar career with the
Chicago Cubs.
Jenkins spent most of his career with the Chicago Cubs but also played with
the Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Ranger and Boston
Red Sox.
Another item of interest is a photograph autographed by the four members of
the 1961 New York Yankees infield < first baseman Moose Skowron,
second
baseman Bobby Richardson, shortstop Tony Kubek and
third baseman Clete
Boyer. Kubek donated the photo.
"I am happy with the items," Waybright
said. "Weıve got a good combination
of items for both auctions."