Cesar Tordesillas

The original 1960 contract of legendary baseball player Mickey Mantle with the New York Yankees that paid him $60,000 will be auctioned to raise funds to help victims of Hurricane Sandy.

"Even though it's six months later, the devastation of Hurricane Sandy is still severely impacting many people," Mickey's son Danny Mantle said. "We decided to take the contract and put it to good use to raise some money for the victims."

The contract, painstakingly preserved by Mantle's wife, Merlyn, goes on auction. The auction, spearheaded by Steiner Sports, concludes June 2.

Because of Mantle's popularity and the cause connected to the auction, the contract could fetch $1 million, all of which would go to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, chaired by Mary Pat Christie, wife of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

According to Danny, he and his brother, David, were troubled by the experiences Sandy's victims endured so they decided to help by auctioning one of their many pieces of Mantle memorabilia. Danny added that the contract is in near perfect condition.

Other items available in the auction include Weiss' 1939 Yankees World Series ring, a baseball signed by the 1929 Yankees, among them Ruth, Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri, Lou Gehrig, Leo Durocher, Miller Huggins and owner Jacob Ruppert, and the glove Jackie Robinson used during both the 1955 and 1956 World Series.

Mantle earned $65,000 in 1958, the year when he led the league in runs, home runs, total bases, walks and placed fifth in the voting for the Most Valuable Player Award.

The next year, he earned $70,000 after hitting 31 homers and 75 RBIs but his batting average dropped to. 285, 34 points lower than his average of the preceding seven seasons.

In 1960, then Yankees general manager George Weiss offered him a contract worth $60,000.

At first, Mantle refused to sign it but later agreed after missing several days of the Yankees' training camp.

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Mickey Mantle's 1960 Contract to be Auctioned for Sandy Victims