Let's Talk About Mickey Mantle

Today the name Mickey Mantle is synonymous with baseball greatness. He was a true icon of the sport, known for his incredible hitting power, speed on the basepath, and exceptional fielding ability. Mantle played his entire career for the New York Yankees, helping them win seven World Series championships and earning numerous individual awards along the way. Although he passed away in 1995, his legacy lives on as one of the greatest players to ever grace the diamond. In this blog post, we'll look at Mickey Mantle's life and career, exploring what made him so special and why he remains an inspiration to so many fans and players today.

I personally think one thing that made Mickey Mantle so special with his fans was the anticipation of what was about to happen when he stepped up to the plate. The crowd wondered if they were about to witness the ball leaving the stadium. And knowing that many times that would happen, the excitement was even felt by the opposing team fans. I guess you could say some fans loved him while others feared him.

Mickey Charles Mantle was born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma, on October 20, 1931. Spavinaw is a small town 70 miles from Tulsa. When Mantle was four years old, his family moved to the nearby town of Commerce where his father worked in the mines. During his teenage years, Mantle was an all-around athlete in high school playing basketball and football. On the football team, he played halfback and was even offered a football scholarship by the University of Oklahoma But during his sophomore year, he was kicked on the left shin and the leg became infected with osteomyelitis, a crippling disease that he overcame but ended his football playing. But as we all know, it did not end his baseball-playing days.

Mantle played in the minor leagues from 1948 to 1950. He was invited to the Yankees instructional camp before the 1951 season, and after an impressive spring training, Yankees manager Casey Stengel promoted Mantle to the majors. Mickey Mantle's salary for the 1951 season with the Yankees was $7,500.

Mantle was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1974. His lifetime baseball stats tell you what an outstanding player he was. But I want to share a few words about the 1962 season, which comes from the back of a baseball card I have. “Mickey Mantle was named the American League’s Most Valuable Player for his spectacular season in 1962...batted .321 on 121 Hits in 377 At-Bats...scored 96 Runs...belted 30 Homers with 89 Runs Batted in...had a .605 Slugging Percentage... led with 122 Bases on Bats...had 2 Stolen Bases in the 1962 World Series as the Yankees defeated the Giants 4 games to 3.”

There is no question about it, Mickey Mantle was one of the greatest baseball players of all time. His life off the field was often just as fascinating as his career on it. He was a complex figure, with a troubled personal life at times with a reputation for heavy drinking. Then after years of alcoholism, in 1994, Mantle was diagnosed with liver cancer. It has been said that he urged his fans to take care of their bodies with him saying “Don't be like me.” Although he received a liver transplant, by then it was too late and the cancer had spread to his lungs, he died on August 13, 1995.

Mickey Mantle is a baseball legend still remembered and celebrated today, over two decades after his passing. Now just to show you how his name still lives on, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Rookie Card sold for $12.6 million at an auction on Aug 29, 2022.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share this post with your baseball fan friends. I would appreciate it. 

Also, don’t miss an upcoming post about another older Yankee baseball player. My brother married this player's stepdaughter so I will have a good story for you.    

Tom Boleware

boleware.blogspot.com