Mickey Mantle Baseball Cards | Mickey Mantle Autograph Baseball

Mickey Mantle was one of the greatest baseball players to have ever played the game and in this post we will discuss the various life events and Mickey Mantle History that took place over the years. Mickey Mantle was born on October 20, 1931 in Spavinaw, Oklahoma.  This will not be a Mickey Mantle History session but a breakdown of his life in segments

Mickey Mantle, The Early Years

Mickey played ball through his young life playing many positions such as catcher and second base.  He played baseball since he was in the young age 7 in Oklahoma.  He practiced playing baseball with his father in his backyard where he was taught to switch hit in his backyard.  His father mad Mickey Mantle take 1000 swings from each side of the plate before he went to sleep everyday like it was a needed to chore.  Even though Mickey rebelled he learned how to switch hit at a very young age.

Mickey Mantle Family Life

Mickey Mantle was most influenced by his father who was the strong figure in his life.  He did everything he could to get in his good graces.  When his Grandfather died ( Charlie Mantle) in 1945 Mickey questioned playing ball and started playing other sports like Football.  This displeased his father but in turn let Mickey have his way as long as he was active and still practiced baseball.   In 1946 Mickey Mantle played Running Back for Commerce High School.   While playing football his father convinced him to keep playing ball and he ended up playing shortstop for Baxter Springs Whiz Kids.  Mickey had a rough child hood growing up a very poor which caused a lot of strain on his family.  Even though his father helped mold him into the player he would become he was a heavy drinker and very strict and sometimes abusive father.  Mickey stated in his autobiography that if it wasn’t for his father he probably wouldn’t have accomplished what he did as a ball player.

Mickey Mantle Gets a Tryout

While at a football game in 1949 Mickey met a man named Merlyn Johnson who was a scout for the New York Yankees.  He decided to give Mickey Mantle a tryout in a small ballpark in Oklahoma.  When Merlyn saw Mickey swing and connect he was amazed that this young slugger had not been signed by another team.  Merlyn stated that Mickey hit the baseball so hard and far that he stopped the tryout early because he was afraid someone else would see the tryout and sign him.  Mickey signed with the New York Yankees on 5/16/1949 for an $1150 bonus and  $140 a month salary.   Mickey also had a job working in the mines to help subsidize his income.

Mickey Mantle History Achievements

Mickey won the Triple Crown in 1956 which ended up being one of greatest single season performance of any player in baseball history. His slugging average of .705 was 105 points higher than second place finisher Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox.

Casey Stengel, his coach and mentor said of Mickey ; He hits balls over building and runs like Ty Cobb.  Mantle frequently played in pain following his injury in the1951 World Series and subsequent injuries. Many baseball historians believe Mickey would have been the greatest player of all time if it wasn’t for these injuries and alcohol abuse.

Without re-imagining history, Mantle won 3 MVP awards and 4 batting, slugging, and home run titles. He established many postseason records during his first 14 years in New York as he led the Yankees to 12 pennants and 7 World Series titles.  Bill James ranks him behind Willie Mays  on his all-time list for center fielders but ahead of his predecessor Joe DiMaggio. He also rates Mantle number six on his list of all-time greatest players, ahead of both DiMaggio and Williams.

History Catches Up to Mickey Mantle

Mickey Mantle opened up a few restaurants and attended sports memorabilia shows signing autographs and taking photos. Mickey had very too close friends that he outlived and loved during his baseball career.  Roger Maris, who Mickey battled for the sing season Home run record died in 1985 and Billy Martin died in 1989.  Mickey Mantle was admitted to the hospital in 1995 for stomach pain and ended up getting a liver transplant.  He died in 1995 of liver cancer.

Mickey Mantle was an American icon and the face of the New York Yankees dynasty of the 1950’s and 1960’s.  He will remembered for what he did on the field and unfortunately off the field as well. If you are looking for more information about the History of Mickey Mantle read his autobiography called “The Mick”.