If he was ever healthy
- Thread starter Halldan1
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Serious injuries, serious self inflicted issues, and he was stil great. I am a Dodger fan as many know. Seeing Sandy strike him out in the 63 WS was awesome. But you gotta love The Mick. Wish I could have seen him in the fifties.
You see his swing and his upper body development due to working as a child in the mines for his dad. But check out the tree trunk legs. That's where he got his awesome power.
And then combine that with his being the fastest player in the game and as a child who lived to play baseball you couldn't help but fall in love with him as an idol.
And then combine that with his being the fastest player in the game and as a child who lived to play baseball you couldn't help but fall in love with him as an idol.
See I remember this.... LOL
In the 3rd game of the 1963 World Series, Mickey Mantle would step in against the great Sandy Koufax, and clout his 15th World Series Home Run, thus tying Babe Ruth. The two baseball legends would then share the record for one last season, until the 3rd game of the 1964 World Series, when Mantle would step in to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning in a tie game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Mantle would then proceed to launch relief pitcher Barney Schultz's first pitch into the bleachers for a game ending walk-off home run. Mantle would now stand alone in the record books with 16 World Series Home Runs. Mantle went on to hit home runs in both the 6th and 7th games of this same World Series, giving him a total of 18 in all. Although Mantle would continue to play until the end of the 1968 season, the Yankees had gone into a seemingly overnight state of decline, and would not make the post season again until 1976, long after Mantle had left the game he loved so much.
Mickey Mantle's 18 World Series Home Runs were hit between the 6th game of the 1952 World Series and the 7th game of the 1964 World Series. He hit 2 home runs in a single game on two of those occasions, meaning he hit the 18 home runs across 16 games.
In his prime and before the elbow blew out at 30 years of age he was as unhittable as any pitcher I have ever seen.
...........But after making adjustments prior to the 1961 season, and benefitting from the team's move into expansive Dodger Stadium a year later, Koufax quickly rose to become the most dominant pitcher in the major leagues before arthritis in his left elbow ended his playing days prematurely at age 30.
Koufax was an All-Star in each of his last six seasons,[1] leading the National League (NL) in ERA each of his last five years, in strikeouts four times, in wins and shutouts three times each, and in winning percentage, innings pitched and complete games twice each; he was the first NL pitcher in 20 years to post an ERA below 2.00, doing so three times. After setting a modern NL record in 1961 with 269 strikeouts, in 1963 he became the first pitcher in 17 years and the first left-hander since 1904 to strike out 300 batters. In 1965 he set a major league record with 382 strikeouts; it was broken in 1973 by Nolan Ryan, but remains the top mark for NL pitchers and left-handers. He was the first pitcher to record 300 strikeouts three times, and set a record with 97 games of at least 10 strikeouts, also later broken by Ryan; he twice tied a modern record by striking out 18 batters in a game. Koufax won the Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 and 1966 by unanimous votes, winning the Triple Crown[2][3][4][5] and leading the Dodgers to a pennant each year; he was the first three-time winner of the award, and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given instead of one for each league. He was also named the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1963, and was runner-up for the award the other two years.
Koufax was the first major league pitcher to hurl four no-hitters, and in 1965 became the eighth pitcher and the first left-hander since 1880 to pitch a perfect game. He was named the World Series MVP in both 1963 and 1965, earning two wins in each Series and striking out 52 batters to lead the team to another pair of titles. He is also notable for being one of the outstanding Jewish athletes in U.S. sports; Koufax's decision not to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur garnered national attention as a conflict between religious calling and society, and remains a notable event in U.S. Jewish history.[6][7] Upon his retirement, Koufax's career ERA of 2.76 trailed only Whitey Ford among pitchers with at least 2,000 innings pitched since 1925; his .655 winning percentage ranked third among both left-handers and modern NL pitchers. Despite his comparatively short career, his 2,396 career strikeouts ranked seventh in major league history, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers; his 40 shutouts were tied for ninth in modern NL history. He was the first pitcher in history to average more than one strikeout per inning, and the first to allow fewer than seven hits per nine innings pitched. Koufax briefly held the Dodgers records for career strikeouts and shutouts until longtime teammate Don Drysdale passed him in 1968. Koufax was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972, becoming at age 36 the youngest player ever elected. He has since worked for the Dodgers organization in a variety of capacities.
Koufax was an All-Star in each of his last six seasons,[1] leading the National League (NL) in ERA each of his last five years, in strikeouts four times, in wins and shutouts three times each, and in winning percentage, innings pitched and complete games twice each; he was the first NL pitcher in 20 years to post an ERA below 2.00, doing so three times. After setting a modern NL record in 1961 with 269 strikeouts, in 1963 he became the first pitcher in 17 years and the first left-hander since 1904 to strike out 300 batters. In 1965 he set a major league record with 382 strikeouts; it was broken in 1973 by Nolan Ryan, but remains the top mark for NL pitchers and left-handers. He was the first pitcher to record 300 strikeouts three times, and set a record with 97 games of at least 10 strikeouts, also later broken by Ryan; he twice tied a modern record by striking out 18 batters in a game. Koufax won the Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 and 1966 by unanimous votes, winning the Triple Crown[2][3][4][5] and leading the Dodgers to a pennant each year; he was the first three-time winner of the award, and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given instead of one for each league. He was also named the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1963, and was runner-up for the award the other two years.
Koufax was the first major league pitcher to hurl four no-hitters, and in 1965 became the eighth pitcher and the first left-hander since 1880 to pitch a perfect game. He was named the World Series MVP in both 1963 and 1965, earning two wins in each Series and striking out 52 batters to lead the team to another pair of titles. He is also notable for being one of the outstanding Jewish athletes in U.S. sports; Koufax's decision not to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur garnered national attention as a conflict between religious calling and society, and remains a notable event in U.S. Jewish history.[6][7] Upon his retirement, Koufax's career ERA of 2.76 trailed only Whitey Ford among pitchers with at least 2,000 innings pitched since 1925; his .655 winning percentage ranked third among both left-handers and modern NL pitchers. Despite his comparatively short career, his 2,396 career strikeouts ranked seventh in major league history, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers; his 40 shutouts were tied for ninth in modern NL history. He was the first pitcher in history to average more than one strikeout per inning, and the first to allow fewer than seven hits per nine innings pitched. Koufax briefly held the Dodgers records for career strikeouts and shutouts until longtime teammate Don Drysdale passed him in 1968. Koufax was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972, becoming at age 36 the youngest player ever elected. He has since worked for the Dodgers organization in a variety of capacities.
Both Mickey and Sandy could have significantly benefitted from modern orthapedic surgical techniques. I guess Tommy John surgery would have allowed Sandy to continue playing.
I still curse that stupid drain that Mickey's spike got caught in during the 51 series.
I still curse that stupid drain that Mickey's spike got caught in during the 51 series.
He was playing right field instead of center field because it was DiMaggio's last couple of games and Casey Stengel in deference to the great Joe D kept the far poorer defensive player at his natural position telling the young Mantle to get every ball hit between the two.
Mickey arguably had more baseball talent than any player ever.
That drain injury was such a horrendous thing. That and his heavy drinking kept his production down. Minus those two things he may well have become the greatest ever. And I am a lifelong Yankee hater,
I still remember going to bat day, getting a Mickey bat and having him sign it only to go home and play with it in the streets and break it. If I had that bat today, I could fund the NIL for a while...
He had a drinking problem, no doubt. But as a child and especially back then few knew as it was never publicize. Meaning that the only way we judged him was as an athlete and how he treated both teammates and rivals.
And no one had more respect on the field. He NEVER showed up another player. Never made it about himself and never once ran around the bases after hitting a homerun showing up the pitcher, pounding his chest, admiring his home run at the plate or pointing to the sky. He always said that what he was most proud of was being the best teammate he could be.
That's the Mantle I will remember and not the one who fell ill to his drinking habits. A habit that eventually took his life.
He could barely run by this time he was so badly injured. But I will always remember him for what he did on the field.
And no one had more respect on the field. He NEVER showed up another player. Never made it about himself and never once ran around the bases after hitting a homerun showing up the pitcher, pounding his chest, admiring his home run at the plate or pointing to the sky. He always said that what he was most proud of was being the best teammate he could be.
That's the Mantle I will remember and not the one who fell ill to his drinking habits. A habit that eventually took his life.
He could barely run by this time he was so badly injured. But I will always remember him for what he did on the field.
The Mick never thought he was going to live as long as he did. I believe he said something like this... if I knew I was going to live this long, I would have tried to take better care of myself.
My old time favorite forever.
My old time favorite forever.
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I was at a Ruth Chris in Dallas in the 80’s and Mantle was there with some of his family. He was clearly intoxicated and at one point rested his head on the table and then his wife helped him walk out of the restaurant. Broke my heart to see someone I idolized. Everyone has some demons.
Koufax can still drive a golf ball 275 but doesn’t play anymore because he can’t tolerate shooting in the 80’s. That’s a competitor!
Koufax can still drive a golf ball 275 but doesn’t play anymore because he can’t tolerate shooting in the 80’s. That’s a competitor!
I recently read something where Mickey was asked what was his favorite memory from Yankee Stadium. I can't publish the answer but it involved something he experienced under the right field stands near the Yankee bullpen.
I was on a commercial flight with him once in the 80's or 90's and was amazed that he was flying economy. It was after he stopped drinking and he was very courteous and patient with people who came to his seat.
I was on a commercial flight with him once in the 80's or 90's and was amazed that he was flying economy. It was after he stopped drinking and he was very courteous and patient with people who came to his seat.
There was a lot of animosity toward the whole medical system overseeing organ transplants when news hit that Micky Mantle needed a new liver which was ravaged by years of drinking and lead to cirrhosis.
Most people undergo a grading system based on their health and age and the lifestyle which may have lead to needing a transplant. Most die waiting for a donor organ but Micky Mantle was notified literally overnight that they found him a liver match.
I'm going by memory here , but he may have lived another 6 months after the surgery whereas a younger/healthier patient may have lived decades more if they got that same liver.
Most people undergo a grading system based on their health and age and the lifestyle which may have lead to needing a transplant. Most die waiting for a donor organ but Micky Mantle was notified literally overnight that they found him a liver match.
I'm going by memory here , but he may have lived another 6 months after the surgery whereas a younger/healthier patient may have lived decades more if they got that same liver.
For those of us old enough to remember, we had Duke, Willie and Mickey with kids emulating them and arguing over who was the best. For me, it was Mickey. I have a recollection of a newspaper photo showing where Mantle's 565 foot home run off Chuck Stobbs hit the scoreboard in center field at Griffith's Stadium in DC. I believe it even took off a piece of the scoreboard. He was a good in the field, could hit the ball a country mile, and bunt for a base hit with two strikes on him.
The one thing about Mantle I could never figure out is why when he bunted for a base hit it was always with 2 strikes on him. It's not like the infield wasn't back anyway earlier in the count. Bunt foul and it's a strikeout.
He only bunted lefty and was timed to first in his prime at 3.1 seconds. Which if true was beyond ridiculous.
He only bunted lefty and was timed to first in his prime at 3.1 seconds. Which if true was beyond ridiculous.
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