• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Write for Sports Collectors Daily
    • Write About Your Sports Collection
    • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Hot on eBay
    • Most Watched Graded Rookies
    • Most Watched PSA 10 Cards
    • Most Watched BGS, BVG Cards
    • Most Watched SGC Cards
    • Most Watched CSG,CGC Cards
    • Most Watched Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2023 Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards
      • Bowman Chrome Cards
      • Ronald Acuna Jr. Cards
      • Shohei Ohtani Cards
      • Mike Trout Cards
      • Fernando Tatis Jr. Cards
      • Babe Ruth Cards
      • Hank Aaron Cards
      • Jackie Robinson Cards:
      • Mickey Mantle Cards
      • Willie Mays Cards
      • Vintage Baseball Card Sets
      • T206 Cards
    • Most Watched Basketball
      • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2022-23 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2021-22 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2020-21 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2019-20 NBA Rookie Cards
        • Zion Williamson Rookie Cards
        • Ja Morant Rookie Cards
      • Michael Jordan Cards
      • Kobe Bryant Cards
      • LeBron James Rookie Cards
      • Nikola Jokic Rookie Cards
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo Cards
      • Luka Doncic Rookie Cards
      • Prizm Basketball Cards
      • Panini National Treasures
    • Most Watched Football Cards
      • Most Watched NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2022 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Brock Purdy Rookie Cards
      • 2021 NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2020 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Joe Burrow Rookie Cards
        • Justin Herbert Rookie Cards
        • Jalen Hurts Rookie Cards
      • Josh Allen Rookie Cards
      • Patrick Mahomes Rookie Cards
      • Tom Brady Cards
    • Most Watched Hockey Cards
      • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2021-22 NHL Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2020-21 Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2019-20 Rookie Cards
      • Connor McDavid Cards
      • Wayne Gretzky Cards
      • Bobby Orr Cards
    • Most Watched Soccer Cards
    • Most Watched UFC Cards
    • Most Watched Golf Cards
    • Most Watched 1 of 1 Cards
    • Most Watched Racing Cards
    • Top Sports Card Dealers on eBay
    • Most Watched Memorabilia
      • Vintage Sports Memorabilia
    • Vintage Sports Tickets, Stubs
    • Most Watched Autographs
  • Ending Soon on Ebay
    • Baseball Cards
    • Basketball Cards
    • Football Cards
    • Hockey Cards
    • Soccer Cards
    • Golf Cards
    • UFC Cards
  • Top - Ad

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports collecting news - Sports cards and sports memorabilia industry news.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
      • Shop Talk
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Affordable Vintage Cards, Collectibles
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • Around The Hobby
    • Editor’s Blog
    • David Cycleback’s Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Popular Stories
  • Sell Your Cards
You are here: Home / Sports Memorabilia News / Joe Pepitone Sues Hall of Fame Over Mantle’s 500th Home Run Bat

Joe Pepitone Sues Hall of Fame Over Mantle’s 500th Home Run Bat

July 11, 2021 By Bob D'Angelo

Joe Pepitone and the Hall of Fame are battling over a bat.

Not just any bat. It’s the piece of lumber used by Mickey Mantle when the New York Yankees legend belted a 3-2 changeup from Stu Miller into the right-field stands at Yankee Stadium for his 500th career home run.

Pepitone lent Mantle the bat in the seventh inning of the May 14, 1967, game. After the Yankees 6-5 victory against the Baltimore Orioles, Pepitone claims that Yankees executive Bob Fishel turned the bat over to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum without telling him. It was a piece of history the Hall of Fame was only too happy to display: at the time, Mantle was only the sixth player in major league history to hit 500 home runs, behind Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams and Mel Ott.

Now, the former Yankees outfielder-first baseman is suing to get his bat back.

Attorneys for Pepitone, 80, submitted a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York on June 21, and the case was filed on July 7. Pepitone is seeking the return of the bat, along with “compensatory and exemplary” damages to be determined at trial but no less than $1 million, according to the court documents.

“Pepitone’s bat is a one-of-a-kind historical baseball artifact with an estimated value of more than $500,000,” the lawsuit alleges. “Pepitone did not gift, sell, assign, or in any way transferred (sic) his sole ownership interest in the bat to any person or entity. Pepitone unequivocally demanded that the Museum return the bat on Sept. 1, 2020, as promised.

“The Museum has unreasonably and unlawfully refused Pepitone’s demand to return the bat and continues to possess the bat without legal cause or justification over Pepitone’s objection and contrary to Pepitone’s legal and equitable right to possession,” the lawsuit alleges.

In a statement Friday, the Hall of Fame disputed Pepitone’s claim.

“The bat that Mickey Mantle used to hit his 500th home run was donated to the Hall of Fame by the New York Yankees in May 1967,” according to the statement, which was first reported by The Athletic. “The Hall of Fame owns this historical bat and for more than 50 years, the Hall of Fame has preserved it and proudly put it on display for millions of fans to see as they tour the Museum.”

The Yankees could not be reached for comment, according to The Athletic.

The bat is available to view online through the Hall of Fame’s digital archive.

Mantle finished his career with 536 home runs. At the time, that placed him third on the all-time home run list behind Ruth and Mays. He now ranks 18th overall.

With the memorabilia boom currently at a fever pitch, it is understandable why Pepitone wants the bat back.   Auction company representatives we contacted say it would likely bring at least $750,000 but some believe it would go for as much as $2-3 million.

The natural stain wooden bat weighs 29 ounces and is 35 inches long, with “Hillerich & Bradsby/125/Louisville Slugger/Powerized” located in the center of the barrel. Near the end of the barrel is a Pepitone facsimile signature, with “P104” inscribed on the knob. The figure “30½” is handwritten in black on the end of the knob.

Pepitone entered the game as a pinch hitter for Bill Robinson in the sixth inning and hit a two-run homer off Miller, his first of the season, to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead, according to Retrosheet.org.

According to the lawsuit, “in the next inning of the game, Pepitone handed his bat to Mantle and told Mantle that the bat ‘had another home run in it.’ Mantle smiled at Pepitone and took the bat to the plate.”

After connecting for No. 500 — his fourth home run of the season — Mantle returned the bat to Pepitone, the lawsuit alleges.

1967 Topps Joe Pepitone

According to United Press International columnist Milton Richman, Mantle was asked after the game if he was going to keep the bat or give it to the Hall of Fame.

“It’s not mine to give,” Mantle said. “It belongs to Joe Pepitone and he let me use it.

“He’s got it now and I think he went south with it.”

Pepitone agreed there was “no chance” Mantle would get to keep the milestone bat, Richman wrote.

“I’m tickled to death he hit the homer with it, but there ain’t no way he’s gonna get that bat back,” Pepitone told reporters. “I’m taking it home with me.”

According to the lawsuit, Pepitone said he secured the bat in his locker. However, he noticed later that the bat was gone, and Fishel told him the Yankees wanted to send the bat to Cooperstown. He asked Pepitone if he would agree to loan the bat, and the player agreed with the stipulation that he could have the bat returned to him upon demand.

The problem facing Pepitone is that many of the principals involved in sending the bat to the Hall of Fame are dead. Fishel died in June 1988. According to the lawsuit, Bill Guilfoile, who was the public relations director of the museum from 1978 until 1996, assured Pepitone that bat was “his for the asking.” Guilfoile, who was the Yankees’ assistant director of public relations from 1960 through 1970, died in July 2016. Mantle died in 1995.

Also, the lawsuit does not address whether there was any written correspondence, contracts or receipts pertaining to the ownership of the bat. Was it Pepitone’s, or did the Yankees pay for the bats and therefore believed it had the right to remove the bat and send it to Cooperstown? It’s an interesting question.

In a statement reported by The Athletic, the Hall of Fame said the bat “is where it belongs.”

“This bat is one of the tens of thousands of artifacts that, over the last 85 years, have been donated to the Hall of Fame by players, teams, leagues, and fans,” the statement read. “Artifacts allow us to honor the game and fulfill our not-for-profit mission to preserve history, honor excellence and connect generations.

“This bat is where it belongs – on display in Cooperstown for fans everywhere to see.”

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Facebook Messenger

About Bob D'Angelo

Bob has been a sportswriter and copy editor for more than 35 years and a blogger for a decade. He is celebrating his 50th year of card collecting, and still counts his 1965 Topps Mickey Mantle as his favorite. You can reach him at [email protected].

Filed Under: Popular Stories, Sports Memorabilia News Tagged With: Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Bob Fishel, Joe Pepitone, Mickey Mantle, Mickey Mantle bat, Milton Richman, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Primary Sidebar

Our articles may contain affiliate links. When you click on links to merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

Shop Sports Cards on Ebay
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey

High End Cards and Memorabilia

  • BBCE Authenticated Boxes, Packs opens in a new window
  • Graded pre-War Card eBay Auctions
  • PWCC Premier Auction
  • PWCC Fixed Price Marketplace
  • Graded Rookie Cards on eBay opens in a new window
  • Authenticated Photos on eBay opens in a new window
  • Graded Tickets & Stubs opens in a new window

Bargain Corner

  • Michael Jordan cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Kobe Bryant cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Mickey Mantle Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Graded T206 Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Pre-War Cards Under $100 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Baseball Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Football Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Basketball Cards $25 and less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Hockey Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Complete Sets $20 and Less opens in a new window
  • Baseball Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Football Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Hobby Boxes Under $30 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1986 Rookie Cards Under $1 opens in a new window
  • Buy Boxes Directly from Topps opens in a new window

RSS Auction Report

  • Steve Novella Offers PSA Baseball & Football Card Auction Ending October 3, 2023
  • REA September 2023 Encore Auction Brings in $1.7 Million in Sales
  • PWCC September 2023 Premier Auction Recap

Footer

Categories

  • Around the Hobby
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • David Cycleback's Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Editor's Blog
  • Featured Articles
  • Hobby Shop Talk
  • National Sports Collectors Convention
  • Popular Stories
  • Rich Klein's Ramblings
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Uncategorized

Sponsor Links

  • Sports Card Forumopens in a new window
  • Buying Vintage Sports Cardsopens in a new window
  • Game Used Jerseysopens in a new window
  • Championship Rings For Saleopens in a new window
  • Vintage Basketball Cardsopens in a new window
  • NBA Signed Itemsopens in a new window
  • Autographed Baseballsopens in a new window
  • NASCAR Autographsopens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Baseball Cardsopens in a new window
  • Player Picturesopens in a new window
  • Vintage Football Cardsopens in a new window
  • Sports Collectors Storeopens in a new window

Pages

Ending on eBay Soon
  • Baseball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Basketball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Football Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Hockey Card Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay Ending Soon
Top 100 on Ebay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Card Auctions
  • Top Authenticated Vintage Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
Most Watched on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Graded Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Tom Brady Card Auctions on eBay
  • 50 Hottest Hobby Boxes at Auction on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Golf Trading Cards on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Wrestling Trading Cards on eBay
  • 75 Most Watched Bowman Chrome Cards
  • Most Popular Bobbleheads on eBay
  • Most Watched 1/1 Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Basketball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Complete Baseball Card Sets at Auction on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Rookie Card Auctions
  • Most Watched Goudey Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Hockey Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Racing Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Soccer Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Autographs on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Jerseys on eBay
  • Most Watched Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
  • Most Watched Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay
  • Hottest Panini National Treasures Cards on eBay
  • Hottest PSA 10 Cards for Sale on eBay
  • What’s Hot on eBay
Sports Memorabilia
  • Sports Card Bargain Bin
  • Sports Memorabilia Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
About Sports Collectors Daily
  • Advertise with SC Daily
  • Contact Us
  • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Sell Your Cards
  • What’s It Worth
  • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?

Copyright © 2023 SportsCollectorsDaily.com | Web Design by Wickam Groupopens in a new window