Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle, nicknamed "The Commerce Comet" and "The Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseballcareer with the New York Yankees as a center fielder and first baseman, from 1951 through 1968. Mantle was one of the best players and sluggers, and is regarded by many as the greatest switch hitter in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 and was elected to the Major...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth20 October 1931
CitySpavinaw, OK
CountryUnited States of America
It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing all your life.
I leaned on him for support when I got out of the cab, and he just crumpled to the ground. That's how we found out.
The best team I ever saw, and I really mean this, was the '61 Yankees.
After I hit a home run I had a habit of running the bases with my head down. I figured the pitcher already felt bad enough without me showing him up rounding the bases.
Somebody once asked me if I ever went up to the plate trying to hit a home run. I said, 'Sure, every time.'
During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times. I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times. You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at bats a season. That means I played seven years without ever hitting the ball.
I was prepared to pay $15,000 for the passport. ... He was the greatest guy in the world. When you met him, everyone loved him. He was a fun guy.
You might as well go in and start getting dressed. I'm going to hit his first pitch for a home run.
My dad taught me to switch-hit. He and my grandfather, who was left-handed, pitched to me everyday after school in the back yard. I batted lefty against my dad and righty against my granddad.
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.