The stellar career of Mickey Mantle is marked with one unfortunate long-forgotten blemish: in 1983 he was banned from baseball by commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Mantle was offered a job by the Claridge Casino in Atlantic City as a greeter. His contract called for a salary of $100 000 a year and his job would be to play golf with patrons meeting and greeting people and generally being seen. Though the job did not involve any actual gambling commissioner Bowie Kuhn gave Mantle the choice: turn the job down or be banned from baseball. Mantle not having a job offer in baseball chose to accept the job. Mantle (and Willie Mays who had a similar situation) was reinstated by new commissioner Peter Ueberroth. During his time with the Claridge however Mantle appeared on the cover of the December 1984 issue of Gambling Times magazine at a poker table with Atlantic City entertainer Julie Miller. Presented here is the photo that became the magazine cover signed by Mantle in blue fiber tip marker on the only area of the photo where a signature would be visible. Matted and framed to a finished size of 14" x 17" the photo comes with a full LOA from James Spence Authentication. An interesting conversation piece and memento from a dark period in baseball's history when Mickey Mantle was banned from the game.