Mickey Mantle
The greatest switch-hitter in history, Mickey Mantle combined power and speed unlike any other man before him in major league history. He followed Joe DiMaggio in the procession of Hall of Fame Yankee center fielders. He overcame injuries to play more than 2,000 games and hit 536 home runs. He played in twelve World Series, won three Most Valuable Player awards, and captured the Triple crown in 1956. His charisma and talent on the ballfield made him a hero to a generation of young fans.
| Career Batting Stats |
| G |
AB |
H |
R |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
AVG |
SLG |
OBP |
OPS |
OPS+ |
| 2401 |
8102 |
2415 |
1677 |
536 |
1509 |
153 |
.298 |
.557 |
.421 |
.977 |
139.9 |
|
Quotes About Mickey Mantle
"He should lead the league in everything. With his combination of speed and power he should win the triple batting crown every year. In fact, he should do anything he wants to do." Casey Stengel
"There's one thing he can't do very well. He can't throw left-handed. When he goes in for that we'll have the perfect ballplayer" St. Louis Brown's Manager Marty Marion when asked if Mickey had a weakness
"That kid can hit balls over buildings." Casey Stengel on Mickey in 1951
"He's the best prospect I've ever seen." Branch Rickey in 1951
"If he'd just fling his bat at the ball he'd hit is just as far and maybe he wouldn't strike out so much and get so mad." Casey Stengel in 1955, suggesting that Mantle shorten his swing.
"I once invested a dollar when [Mickey] Mantle raffled off a ham. I won, only there was no ham. That was one of the hazards of entering a game of chance, Mickey explained." Jim Bouton, in Ball Four
"... I dont like the Mantle that refused to sign baseballs in the clubhouse before the games. Everybody else had to sign, but Little Pete forged Mantle's signature. So there are thousands of baseballs around the country that have been signed not by Mickey Mantle, but by Pete Previte." Jim Bouton, in Ball Four
Where does Mickey Mantle rank among baseball greats?
Mickey Mantle ranks #5 among the Top 50 all-time at CF. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1956
Mantle was just 24 years old. He won the Triple Crown and the MVP, batting .353 with 52 homers and 130 RBI in one of the best all-around seasons ever. He led with 132 runs scored and a .705 slugging percentage, becoming just the 9th man to top the .700 barrier. His 1.172 OPS was the 20th best in history, and he posted a 1.426 TA. He stole 10 bases in 11 tries. The next season he would increase his batting average and OBP, but his power numbers went down.
Most Walk-Off Home Runs, Career
Jimmie Foxx........12
Mickey Mantle......12
Stan Musial........12
Frank Robinson.....12
Babe Ruth..........12
Tony Perez.........11
Dick Allen.........10
Harold Baines......10
Reggie Jackson.....10
Mike Schmidt.......10
The Ultimate Autograph Show
Mantle once joked that once he died, if he got to heaven, God wouldn't let him in because of the wild life he had led. But as he turned to leave, God would say, 'Before you go, would you sign six dozen baseballs?'
Where He Played
Center field. Mantle played 262 games at first base, in the final two years of his career. He logged seven games at shortstop and one each at second and third, primarily in the last day or days of the season when Stengel would juggle his lineup... His minor league manager, Harry Craft, said: "He can run, steal bases, throw, hit for average, and hit with power like I've never seen. Just don't put him at shortstop."
Born
Mickey Charles Mantle was born on October 20, 1931, in Spavinaw, OK.
Died
August 13, 1995, Dallas, TX
Batted: Both
Threw: Right
Major League Debut
4 17,
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1951
Willie Mays
Mickey Mantle
Roy McMillan
Pete Runnels
Frank Thomas
Johnny Logan
Bob Friend
Rocky Bridges
Gil McDougald
Nicknames
The Mick,The Commerce Comet,Muscles
Uniform Numbers
#6 (1951), #7 (1951-1968)
Similar Players
None
Related Players
Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Duke Snider, Billy Martin, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, Bobby Murcer, Kirk Gibson
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1974 |
BBWAA |
322 |
88.2% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1951 World Series
1952 World Series
1953 World Series
1955 World Series
1956 World Series
1957 World Series
1958 World Series
1960 World Series
1961 World Series
1962 World Series
1963 World Series
1964 World Series
Post-Season Notes
Mantle holds career records for most home runs, runs scored, and RBI in World Series play. He was a World Series champion seven times.
Awards and Honors
1956 AL MVP
1956 AL Triple Crown
1957 AL MVP
1962 AL Gold Glove
1962 AL MVP
Feats
On May 13, 1955, Mantle hit three homers in one game for the first time in his career. He hit all three into the center field bleachers at Yankee Stadium, each of them "a titanic blast," according to the New York Times. Mantle hit his first two homers left-handed and the last one right-handed, to become the first batter to hit homers from each side of the plate in American League history. Ironically, Mantle hit the homers with borrowed bats. His first two homers were hit with a bat discarded by teammate Enos Slaughter, and his last homer was hit with a Bill Skowron model.
Milestones
- June 19, 1955: 100th HR...
- July 26, 1957: 200th HR...
- July 4, 1960: 300th HR...
- September 10, 1962: 400th HR... Off Hank Aguirre
- May 14, 1967: 500th HR... Came against Stu Miller.
Batting Feats
- May 13, 1955: 3 HR...
- May 13, 1955: Switch HR same game...
- August 15, 1955: Switch HR same game...
- May 18, 1956: Switch HR same game...
- July 1, 1956: Switch HR same game...
- June 12, 1957: Switch HR same game...
- July 23, 1957: Cycle...
- July 28, 1958: Switch HR same game...
- September 15, 1959: Switch HR same game...
- April 26, 1961: Switch HR same game...
- May 6, 1962: Switch HR same game...
- August 12, 1964: Switch HR same game...
Notes
Through the Freedom of Information Act, you can download a 29-page FBI report on the hate mail Mantle received while he was a player. Much of it has to do with his playing while others went to war in Korea... On the final day of the 1962 regular season, Yankee manager Ralph Houk batted Mantle in the leadoff spot so he could get enough opportunities to possibly win the batting title. In the midst of the game, after Mickey went 2-for-3 with a walk, Houk removed him since he did not have a chance to overtake Pete Runnels for the title.
Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
Mantle played and partied like there was no tomorrow, believing he would fail to escape the fate of the men in his family who rarely lived to see 40. He was friend and teammate to Whitey Ford and Billy Martin, often getting into off-the-field troubles. An entire generation of New York baseball fans grew up idolizing the blond-haired, muscular center fielder. In the city the debate raged as to who was better Willie (Mays), Mickey, or the Duke (Snider). Few argued that any player was more talented than Mantle. He battled injuries throughout his career: chronic bone infections, broken foot, shoulder separations, knee problems, torn hamstrings. Despite the setbacks, he played more than 140 games twelve times and led his league in major batting categories on on twenty-five occasions.
Hitting Streaks
16 games (1961)
15 games (1961)
15 games (1962)
Home Run Facts
Many of his home runs were of legendary proportion, such as his blast into the faηade at Yankee Stadium. He hit a home run in Washington that observers estimated went 565 feet.
All-Star Selections
1952 AL
1953 AL
1954 AL
1955 AL
1956 AL
1957 AL
1958 AL
1959 AL
1960 AL
1961 AL
1962 AL
1963 AL
1964 AL
1965 AL
1967 AL
1968 AL
Replaced
Joe DiMaggio
Replaced By
Joe Pepitone
Best Strength as a Player
Power
Largest Weakness as a Player
None
Learn More about Mickey Mantle
Search Amazon.com for Books about Mickey Mantle ⇒
Search for Mickey Mantle at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒