Mickey Mantle Biography and Jerseys - Yankees

Mickey Mantle Biography 

Many baseball historians often debate on what kind of player Mickey Mantle could have been if he didn't have such a fondness for booze, women, and nightlife. While his numbers were exceptional, we will always wonder if Mickey would have rewritten the record books if his body and mind were in a healthy state.

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The question of who is the greatest player in baseball history could be debated forever. But the question of who is the most inspiring has only one answer: Mickey Mantle.

Time and time again this Yankee phenom dragged his broken body onto the field to hit titanic, late inning homers or make game winning circus catches. His teamates watched in awe as Mantle went through his pre-game ritual of taping, bandaging and bracing, wondering if they could ever bear the pain he endured to play ball every day.

The fans, of course, felt the same way, even those in other ballparks. Once in Cleveland, with the Indians leading the league midway through the 1962 season, Mantle was watching the game from the dugout. He had been out of action for five weeks and was still nursing a bad hamstring. The Yankees were trailing 7-6 in the eighth inning with two out and man on base. Manager Ralph Houk looked down the bench at his injured slugger. Without either man uttering a word, Mantle grabbed a bat, limped to the plate and lined a pitch into the right field seats. As he struggled around the bases, the 70,000 Indians fans rose to their feet and gave him a standing ovation.

Mantle raised the stakes and heightened the drama of every contest in which he played. Each game could've been his last. And in the end, the measure of his greatness was that, despite the pain, he went out and played each game as if it were his last.

Some of Mickey Mantle's Highlights

• Triple Crown Winner, 1956
• 7 Time World Series Champ
• 3 Time AL MVP
• 4 Time AL Home run Champ
• Gold Glove Winner, 1962
• Hall of Fame, 1974
  

Interesting Facts About Mickey Mantle

• Mickey Mantle was on pace to break Babe Ruth's home-run record in 1961, but he missed most of the last month with a virus. He inded up with 54, second to Roger Maris' record 61.

• When Mickey Mantle was young, his family was so poor that his father whittled his bats. The one extravagance allowed was a new glove every Christmas.

Did you know that Mickey Mantle almost had his leg amputated?

• During a high-School football game, Mantle took a blow to his left shin. A day later he was in the hospital where doctors were talking about amputating his leg! He had Osteomyelitis, a rare, incurable bone disease that would tear at his body for the rest of his life. He could keep his leg, they said, but he might never take a pain-free step again. That he became the fastest, most powerful player of his time is a testament to his ability, courage and desire.
  

Quote by Mickey Mantle
"Baseball was my whole life. Nothing's ever been as fun"

Quote about Mickey Mantle by Tom Greenwade (Yankees scout)
"The first time I saw Mantle I knew....I'd never have another moment like that."

Mickey Mantle's father knew the advantages of switch-hitting, so he taught his five-year-old son how to swing from both sides. Each day, Mantle would swing lefty against his father's right handed pitching, then take cuts from the right side against his left handed grandfather. A natural righty, Mintle hit more homers from the left than from the right.

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