Mickey Mantle Facts

Description Of Mickey's Interesting Facts Concerning His Career Events & Happenings... Did You Know?

Mickey Mantle... was 5 feet 11 1/2 inces tall

Mickey Mantle... weighed in at a skinny 165 to 170 pounds, most of his career he played at about 195 pounds.

Mickey Mantle... had three nicknames... The Mick'... The Commerce Comet'... and The Switcher'

Mickey Mantle... played shortstop when he was first signed with the Yankees.

Mickey Mantle... wasn't a very good shortstop and was moved to the outfield

Mickey Mantle... appeared as shortstop for the Yankees in seven games... One in 1953... Four in 1954 and two in 1955.

Mickey Mantle... also played one game at third base, and 262 games at first base.

Mickey Mantle... received $7,500 which was $2,500 above the Major League minimum, provided that he remained with the team the entire season.

Mickey Mantle... received $2,500 above the minimum after Casey Stengel negotiated with owners Dan Topping and George Weiss that he stay with the team in 1951 while on the train from New York to Washington for opening day.

Mickey Mantle... wore number 6 for the first half of his rookie year.

Mickey Mantle... first Major League game was scheduled to be in Washington but was rained out... The Yankees opened in Yankee Stadium on April 17, 1951 being Mick's first game.

Mickey Mantle's... first Major League opponent was the Boston Red Sox.

Mickey Mantle... played right field during his first Major League game.

Mickey Mantle... shared the outfield with Joe Dimaggio in center and Jackie Jenson in left field.

Mickey Mantle... hit his first Major League home run on May 1, 1951 at the Cominskey Park in Chicago.

Mickey Mantle... hit his first Major League home run in Yankee Stadium on May 16, 1951... It was his fourth homerun.

Mickey Mantle... was injued in his second World Series game when he caught his spikes in a drain pipe while trying to run down a fly ball in righ center field.

Mickey Mantle... was injured on a fly ball that was hit by rookie Willie Mays of the Giants.

Mickey Mantle... was directed by Casey Stengel to help Joe DiMaggio on the fly ball when he was injured in the 1951 World Series.

Mickey Mantle's... first switch hit game was against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on Friday the 13th, 1951 and drove in all the Yankees run in their 5 to 2 victory.

Mickey Mantle... hit the most home runs off of Hall of Fame picher Early Wynn giving Mick 13 homers!

Mickey Mantle... faced Dick Radatz 66 times, striking out 44 of those times during his career, Mick stated that " he guessed he would have to say that Dick Radatz was the toughest picher he ever faced"

Mickey Mantle... switch hit homers in a single game 10 times during his career!

Mickey Mantle... hit 14 extra inning home runs

Mickey Mantle... hit 102 of his homers in the first innings... Followed by 66 homers in the third innings and 63 homers in the eighth inning!

Mickey Mantle... hit homers in three opening day games... 1955, 1956 and 1962 during his career!

Mickey Mantle... hit four opening day homers... one each in 1955 and 1962 with two in 1956

Mickey Mantle... never had a four homer game

Mickey Mantle... connected three home runs in a single game on May 13, 1955

Mickey Mantle... had 46 two homers in a single game.

Mickey Mantle... hit three homers in a double header three times different times in his career!

Mickey Mantle... hit homers in both games of a double header 11 times!

Mickey Mantle... hit seven pich hit home runs

Mickey Mantle's... first pinch hit homer came on July 6, 1953 against the Philadelphia Athletics, it was a Grand Slam hit off Athletics pitcher Frank Fanovich and led the Yankees to a 10 to 5 win, Mick's only career pinch hit Grand Slam.

Mickey Mantle... was accompanied by Yogi Berra hitting back to back homers that was followed by Roger Maris who did it ten times.

Mickey Mantle... hit a total of nine Grand slam home runs.

Mickey Mantle... hit the only fourth Grand Slam in World Series history, and the only one that Mick hit during a World Series play... October 4, 1953 against Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field to lead the Yanks to a 11 to 7 win in game five of the World Series.

Mickey Mantle... played in 12 World Series

Mickey Mantle... played on seven World Champion teams.

Mickey Mantle... had 2,415 career hits that averages out to a little more than one hit per game.

Mickey Mantle... was timed at 2.9 seconds to first base on a drag bunt from the left side, after his 1951 injury he slowed down to a blazing 3.1 seconds!

Mickey Mantle... was timed rounding the bases in a blazing 13 seconds, in fact Casey thought his watch was broken and had Mickey run the bases twice more to make sure he had the right time.

Mickey Mantle... stole 153 bases in his career.

Mickey Mantle... hit 536 career home runs and was rated the third highest when he retired.

Mickey Mantle... along with his friends Billy Martin and Whitey Ford were named the 'Three Musketeers.

Mickey Mantle... hit a ball that got past all the other players and struck Joe DiMaggio while walking behind them on the shin, while playing Pepper during spring training... That's how Mickey met Joe DiMaggio!

Mickey Mantle... first recollection of meeting Whitey Ford was at Whitey's wedding, which the entire team attended after a pre-season exhibition game against Brooklyn in 1951.

Mickey Mantle... thought that Ralph Houk was his best manager because he brought out the best in him.

Mickey Mantle... considered Joe DiMaggio the best all around baseball player.

Mickey Mantle... was sent down to the Minor Leagues on July 13, 1951 by Casey Stengel after he struck out four times in a double header in Boston.

Mickey Mantle... was sent to the Triple A Team in Kansas City

Mickey Mantle... was brought back to the Yankees by Stengel on August 22, 1951

Mickey Mantle... was taught to switch hit by his father Elvin 'Mutt' Mantle who was right handed, and Mickey's grandfather Charlie, a lefty, alternating pitching to Mick everyday after school.

Mickey Mantle's... father was Elvin but was know as Mutt' Mantle

Mickey Mantle's... father was a lead miner in the Blue Goose Mine in Commerce, OK

Mickey Mantle's... father and grandfather caught a hereditary disease called Hodgkins Disease which caused their passing.

Mickey Mantle... blasted his longest homer in a Major League game on April 17, 1953 at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC although there were several others that probably went further.

Mickey Mantle... hit a 565 foot homer on April 17, 1953

Mickey Mantle's... 565 foot home run ball was found by a 10 year old boy named Donald Dunaway.

Mickey Mantle... hit the 565 foot homer off of Chuck Stobbs of the Washington Senators.

Mickey Mantle... marked his second anniversary of his first game with the Yankees on the day he blasted the 565 homer

Mickey Mantle... was pranked by Bily Martin by pretending to tag up at third as if the 565 homer Mick hit was a long fly ball.

Mickey Mantle... almost ran into Billy on the base path because he didnt notice Billy pretending to tag up... If Mick would have ran into Billy he would have been called out and not been credited with the home run.

Mickey Mantle's... longest home run 643 feet... was hit off Paul Foytack at Briggs Stadium in Detroit on September 10, 1960 with the ball catapulted high over the 94 foot high right field roof, clearing over the adjacent Trumball Avenue and landing on the fly in a lumber yard across the street

Mickey Mantle... considered another home run as the possible longest home run he hit lefthanded in an exhibition game at USC on March 26, 1951... with the ball traveling over the outfield fence and across a football field located behind the baseball field, being measured at 656 feet... In the same game he hit another ball right handed that went out of the park, crossed astreet and hit the roof of a three story house several houses down the street!

Mickey Mantle...hit more balls a greater distance than any other player in history... Babe Ruth was the only player in history that even came close to the long home runs that Mick' consistently hit during his career!

Mickey Mantle... and Babe Ruth faced pitcher (the only) Al Benton in Major League games... Babe Ruth in 1934 during Benton's rookie year which he played with the Philadelphia Athletics and to Mickey in 1952 on Benton's last season that he played with the Boston Red Sox.

Mickey Mantle... hit the hardest ball he ever hit during the tenth inning home run that hit the facade in Yankee Stadium on May 22, 1963 hitting it so hard that the ball bounced back into the infield... 734 feet.

Mickey Mantle... noted that the pitcher that pitched the hardest ball he ever hit was Bill Fischer of the Kansas City Athletics.

Mickey Mantle... never hit ball out of Yankee Stadium during a game... No one ever has... Although he did hit a ball out during batting practice three times, twice to the right field and once to the left field.

Mickey Mantle... hit the facade at Yankee Stadium with home runs at least three times!

Mickey Mantle... hit a home run that was coined the Tape Measure Home Run, a 565 footer at Griffith Stadium

Mickey Mantle... received the 'Gift Home Run' from pitcher Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers on September 19, 1968 at Tiget Stadium, it was career home run number 535.

Mickey Mantle... had said that the 1968 season would be his last... during his last game in Detroit in what was to be his last at bat with the Tigers leading 8 to 1... McLain who won 31 games that year decided to give the fans a thrill and called catcher Bill Freehan out just a few yards from the plate and told him he was going to let Mickey hit a home run... Mickey could'nt help but overhear what he said but he was suspicious and asked Freehan if McLain meant it... Bill told him he thought he did... Still leery of a trick Mick' watched his first pitch that split the middle of the plate, knowing he was serious Mick' swung too hard on the next pitch and fouled it off... The next one Mickey put in the upper deck with McLain laughing as Mickey rounded the bases... That's why this was called the "Gift Home Run"

Mickey Mantle... was followed by Joe Pepitone as the next hitter who watched the "Gift Home Run" and when he got up to the plate he motioned with his hand where he wanted McLain to place his pitch... On his first pitch McLain knocked down Pepitone with a brush back pitch.

Mickey Mantle... had a close friend they called "Slick" that friend was a pitcher and was Whitey Ford

Mickey Mantle... Whitey Ford and Billy Martin had a phrase that was directly aimed at them during a team meeting called by Stengel saying... "Some of you guys are getting "Whiskey Slick" having never heard that phrase before the players started calling Mickey and Whitel Slick' eventually it became Whitey's nickname but for some reason no one ever called Billy Slick' as a nickname.

Mickey Mantle... and Billy Martin used a nickname for each other... Obin' taken from Obin Jackson an acquaintance of Mickey's in Oklahoma.

Mickey Mantle... had a friend and fellow Oklahoman pitcher Tom Sturdivant that he called "Sturdy"

Mickey Mantle... called manager Ralph Houk "The Major" because he served as a major in World War II

Mickey Mantle... called fellow team member Bill Skowron "Moose"

Mickey Mantle... and Roger Maris had another nickname in 1961... "The M&M Boys"

Mickey Mantle... had a fellow Yankee... Billy Martin that came to live with the Mantle's in Oklahoma during the off season of 1953 while he was going through a divorce.

Mickey Mantle... and Roger Maris was also nicknamed "Dial M For Murder" in 1961.

Mickey Mantle... gave his famous nickname of "Who's That Charlie Hustle?" after Pete Rose ran to first base after a walk in spring training... Mickey turned to Whitey and aked him... "Who's that Charlie Hustle?" and that nickname stuck!

Mickey Mantle... and Merlyn named they're third son Billy' after Mickey's close friend Billy Martin

Mickey Mantle... was called by Senator Estes Kefauver a Democrat from Tennessee to testify before his Senate Anti-Trust Committee along with Casey Stengel, Yankee's owner Del Webb, Stan Musial and Ted Williams.

Mickey Mantle... was looked square in the eye after a game and was told "Boy Mickey... You Stink!" by Yogi Berra's son Timmy after Mickey has a real shitty game, striking out a couple of times and dropping a pop fly to let the winning run in.

Mickey Mantle... along with some other Yankee players and they're wives went dining at Danny's Hideaway a favorite restaurant of the Yankee players in New York... They decided to go see Sammy Davi Junior at the show at the Copacabana nightclub... Two bowling teams were there celebrating they're winning championships, drinking very heavy and began making racial slurs at Sammy... The Yankees took offense and Hank Bauer asked them to knock it off, that it was inappropriate and that they were embarrassing their wives... The bowlers proceeded to tell them they were not afraid of the Yankees no matter how great they were on the field, and if they didn't like it they could settle it outside, both groups got up to go to the cloakroom and a fight broke out... The next day it was headlines in the New York newspapers.

Mickey Mantle... and the gang participated in the Copacabana incident on May 16, 1957

Mickey Mantle... and the Yankee players were celebrating Billy Martin's birthday.

Mickey Mantle... along with close friends Billy Martin and Whitey Ford were advised the following day that Billy was traded by the Yankees to the Kansas City Athletics... Mickey, Billy and Whitey went out to commiserate the night of the trade... Whitey was pitching the next day and told Billy he would signal him his pitches by croutching on a curve and standing upright on a fastball... "But don't hit a homerun off me" was what he told Billy who agreed, in the game the next day Whitey tipped his pitches to Billy and Billy immediately hit a home run laughing all the way around the bases.

Mickey Mantle's... friend Whitey, in response to what Billy did in the game the day after the trade knocked Billy down with his first pitch

Mickey Mantle... was selected to play in 20 All Star games during his 18 year career.

Mickey Mantle... is one of six players to ever receive the Most Valuable Players Awards three times!

Mickey Mantle... was named the Most Valuable Players in 1956, 1957 and 1962

Mickey Mantle... received one Gold Glove Award during his career in 1962.

Mickey Mantle... is the only switch hitter that has won theTriple Crown, he was awarded it in 1956.

Mickey Mantle... won the Triple Crown with 52 home runs, 130 RBI's and a .353 Batting Average... The tops in the Major Leagues in 1956

Mickey Mantle... also won the The Batting Title in 1956

Mickey Mantle... hit .365 batting average in 1957 the year after he won The Batting Title, he lost out that year to Ted Williams who hit .388

Mickey Mantle... was the American League Home Run Champ four times... In 1955, 1956, 1958 and 1960

Mickey Mantle... hit .54 home runs in 1961, he lost out to Roger Maris who brooke Babe Ruth's single season record by hitting 61, it was the only time two players hit 50 or more homers for the same team the same season.

Mickey Mantle... hit 536 career home runs the third highest when he retired!

Mickey Mantle... has hit more home runs than any other switch hitter!

Mickey Mantle's... career home runs were hit lefty and righty... 374 left handed and 162 right handed

Mickey Mantle... hit 266 career home runs at Yankee Stadium... The most hit of any player!

Mickey Mantle... hit 270 career homers while on the road.

Mickey Mantle... hit a total of 42 career home runs at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, known earlier as Briggs Stadium.

Mickey Mantle... homered in 16 different ballparks during the regular season including Yankee Stadium.

Mickey Mantle... hit six inside the park homers during his career.

Mickey Mantle... hit seven pinch hit homers during his career.

Mickey Mantle... switch hit homers in a game 10 times during his career, a record when he retired.

Mickey Mantle... hit 113 career home runs during the month of June alone!

Mickey Mantle... played in 2,401 games during his career, all for the New York Yankees, a Yankees record.

Mickey Mantle... played in more games as a Yankee than any other player.

Mickey Mantle... hit 80 career home runs off the Washington Senators, including both the old and new Senators.

Mickey Mantle... hit a record 18 World series home runs!

Mickey Mantle... hit ten left handed homers and eight right handed homers during World Series games.

Mickey Mantle... hit two home runs in a World Series game twice!

Mickey Mantle... broke Babe Ruth's World Series record.

Mickey Mantle... hit home run number 16 on October 10, 1964 during the 1964 World Series at Yankee Stadium.

Mickey Mantle... batted against knuckleball pitcher Barney Schultz of the St. Louis Cardinals, who gave up the record breaking World Series record.

Mickey Mantle... told catcher Elston Howard the next batter up after him that "you might as well go on into the clubhouse and get dressed because I am going to hit Schultz' first pitch for a home run," when the Cardinals brought Schultz in to pitch to Mickey in the bottom of the ninth inning... In the pre game meeting the Yankee's scouts told the player's that Cardinals reliever pitcher Barney Schultz usually tried to throw his first pitch across the plate to try to get ahead in the count... Moments later Mickey "Called The Shot" winning the game and breaking the record.

Mickey Mantle... drove in 40 runs during World Series competition, still a record today.

Mickey Mantle... referred to Don Larsen's Perfect Game' on October 8, 1956 in the World Series as "Probably the biggest game I ever played in"

Mickey Mantle... called the 1960 World Series against Pittsburgh his "most disappointing loss ever"

Mickey Mantle... said that allowing his career batting average to drop below .300 was his "greatest regret"

Mickey Mantle... hit his last two homers that two Cy Young Award pitchers gave up... Number 535 Denny McLain (Cy Young-1968 and 1969... and number #536 Jim Lonborg (Cy Young-1967)

Mickey Mantle... hit two career home runs during All Star games.

Mickey Mantle... hitting lefty and righty home runs... one right handed home run and one left handed home run during All Star games.

Mickey Mantle... had two Hall of Fame pitchers that gave up All Star game homers... Robin Roberts and Warren Spahn.

Mickey Mantle... largest contract with the Yankees was for $100,000

Mickey Mantle... talked about retirement during the 1968 season, but the official announcement came on March 1, 1969

Mickey Mantle... had four separate "Mickey Mantle Days" at Yankee Stadium... "Mickey Mantle Fan Appreciation Day" on Septembr 18, 1965... "Mickey Mantle Banner Day" on August 4, 1968... "Mickey Mantle Day" on June 8, 1969 and the second "Mickey Mantle Day" on August 13, 1996.

Mickey Mantle... was honored "Mickey Mantle Day in New York" which was proclaimed by Mayor Robert Wagner on September 18, 1965

Mickey Mantle... was banned from baseball in 1983 by Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn.

Mickey Mantle... was hired as a greeter at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, the Claridge has a gambling casino and baseball has strict rules concerning players who are associated with gambling.

Mickey Mantle... was reinstated to baseball on March 18, 1985 by Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth.

Mickey Mantle... wasn't a very good shortstop and was moved to the outfield

Mickey's idol was Cardinal great Stan "The Man" Musial as a kid... The closest team to Mickey's home in Oklahoma was the St. Louis Cardinals

Mickey called Joe DiMaggio... "probably the greatest all-round player ever."

Mickey called Boston's Ted Williams... "The greatest hitter I ever saw"... William was famous for his theories on hitting, and once Mickey chatted with him about those theories... Afterward Mickey said he was left so confused he had trouble figuring out what to do.

Mickey called the October 8, 1956 World Series game, AKA Don Larson's Perfect Game... "Probably the biggest game I ever played in" ... Mickey hit a solo home run to bring home the first run and made a spectacular running catch of a Gil Hodges 450-foot bid for extra bases to save the game.

Mickey called 'Mickey Mantle Day at Yankee Stadium,' his "Greatest Thrill" in 1969 after he had retired... Almost 70,000 people filled the park that day.

Mantle is the only player in history to have had four days in his honor at Yankee Stadium... Mickey Mantle Day in 1965... Mayor Robert Wagner proclaimed September 18, 1965 as Mickey Mantle Day in New York City, Mickey Mantle Fan Appreciation Day in 1966, Mickey Mantle Day in 1969, and Mickey Mantle Day after his death in 1997.

Mickey's best friends were Yankees second baseman and later manager Billy Martin and Yankees pitching great Whitey Ford. They became known as the "Three Musketeers." He was also very close to Roger Maris of whom the called the "M&M Boys"...He was also close friends with Yankees pitcher and fellow Oklahaman Tom Sturdivant, and the Yankees Hank Bauer, Johnny Blanchard, Yogi Berra, Moose Scowran

Mickey switch-hit homers in a game 10 times during his career, a record that still was unbeat when he retired.

Mickey hit 372 homers left-handed and 164 right-handed... This is due to the fact that he had many more at bats left-handed than right-handed because of the predominance of right-handed pitchers in baseball... In the World Series Mickey hit ten homers left-handed and eight right-handed, and in All-Star competition he hit one from each side.

Mickey during the World Series hit ten homers left-handed and eight right-handed

Mickey played in 2,401 games during his career, all for the New York Yankees, a Yankees record.

Mickey played in more games as a Yankee than any other player in baseball history.

Mickey was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, his first season of eligibility.

Mickey was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with his close friend and teammate pitcher Whitey Ford.

Including Mickey Mantle... No player has ever been selected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Mickey homered in both games of a doubleheader 11 times in his career.

Mickey hit seven pinch-hit homers during his career.

Mickey hit six inside-the-park homers during his career.

Mickey hit nine career Grand Slam Homers and one World Series Grand Slam.

Mickey homered in 16 different ballparks during the regular season including Yankee Stadium

Mickey hit a total of 42 career home runs at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, known earlier as Briggs Stadium

Mickey had some favorite parks where he blasted home runs... 38 homers in Boston's Fenway Park... 36 homers in Cleveland's Municipal Stadium... 30 homers in Chicago's Comiskey Park and 29 homers in Washington's Griffith Stadium

Mickey lost numerous shots that would have homers in most other ball parks outside the Yankee Stadium... It is estimated that Mickey lost between 10 and 20 homers a year at Yankee Stadium, which would compute to at least 200 additional career home runs over his 18 year career... The extremely deep dimension in Yankee Stadium's center-field and short right-field fence was 461 feet, with hits certainly far enough beyond the 296 mark

Mickey hit 266 regular season career home runs at Yankee Stadium.

Mickey's favorite team for home runs was the Washington Senators, both the old and new Senators that allowed a total of 80 career home runs.

Mickey's other home run teams were the Detroit Tigers with 74 home runs, the Chicago White Sox with 73 home runs, the Boston Red Sox with 69 home runs and the Cleveland Indians with 64 Mantle home runs!

Mickey's favorite pitcher for home runs was Early Wynn... The Mick belted 13 career homers off Wynn, followed by Pedro Ramos (12), Camilo Pascual (11), Frank Lary (9) and Chuck Stobbs, Billy Pierce, Dick Donovan and Gary Bell, each of whom gave up 8 homers to Mickey.

Mickey hit two home runs in All-Star games... A three-run homer in 1955 at Milwaukee left-handed off Hall of Fame member Robin Roberts, and a solo homer in 1956 in Washington right-handed off Hall of Fame member Warren Spahn.

Mickey drove in 40 runs in World Series competition, which remains a record today!

Mickey hit 18 World Series home runs... still a record!

Mickey hit 536 career home runs, which placed him third in career home runs when he retired

Mickey received one Gold Glove during his 18 year career.

During Mickey's rookie season he was not selected rookie of the year, but his teammate Gil McDougald received the award.

Mickey's best year had to be 1956 during that season he won baseball's Triple Crown... Mickey led not only the American League but also the entire Major Leagues in batting average with .353, home runs with 52 and runs batted in with 130... Other exceptionally great Mantle years were 1957 when he won his second MVP award and hit his career high batting average of .365 only to lose out to Ted Williams in the batting race... Williams hit .388, 1961 when he hit his career high of 54 homers only to lose out to Roger Maris who hit a record 61, and 1962 when he won his third MVP award.

Mickey played in 12 World Series... 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964

Mickey won 7 World Championships... 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, and 1962

Mickey led the American League in home runs four times... 1955, 1956, 1958 and 1960.

Mickey hit his highest total in homers in 1961... 54 homers... he came in second to Roger Maris, who hit his record 61.

Mickey was named the American League's Most Valuable Player three times... 1956, 1957 and 1962.

Mickey's largest contract with the Yankees was for $100,000 at the time he signed it in 1963 only Joe DiMaggio had received that much before... Mickey continued to play for that amount for the remainder of his career.

Mickey's longest measured home run that was measured when he hit it was hit on April 17, 1953 at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC... It is his best-known homer and the home run that coined the term "Tape Measure Home Run" ...The pitcher was Chuck Stobbs... It traveled 565 feet and was measured by Yankees' PR Director Red Patterson, who used a measuring tape to determine the exact distance... This was the only ball ever hit that cleared the left-field bleachers at Griffith Stadium in a regular season game in its 32 year history.

When Mickey first came up with the Yankees in the first part of the 1951 season he was given uniform number six.

Mickey was sent down to the Yankees Triple A Minor League Team in July of 1951 after a particularly horrendous slump by Casey Stengel to regain his batting swing... In August Mickey was brought back up and was given his famous number seven, which had become vacant while he was away... Seven remained his number for the remainder of his career!

Mickey's first Major League game was scheduled to be against the Washington Senators at Griffith Stadium on April 14, 1951... However, the games were rained out and the Yankees returned to New York where they opened at Yankee Stadium on April 17, 1951 against the Boston Red Sox.

Mickey's first season with the New York Yankees was 1951.

Mantle was signed up after Casey Stengel talked to Yankee owners Del Webb, Dan Topping, and General Manager George Weiss... He even convinced them to pay Mantle a $7,500 salary, $2,500 above the minimum.

Mickey was in high school at Commerce and he played baseball with a team called the Baxter Springs Whiz Kids.

Mickey was seen by Yankees' scout Tom Greenwade who was sent to see a teammate of Mickey's named Billy Johnson... In that game Mickey hit two long home runs into a river that ran behind the ballpark's outfield fence... Greenwade was so impressed he wanted to sign Mickey with the Yankees on the spot... Upon finding out that Mickey was still in high school, he told Mickey that he would come back and sign him right after he graduated from high school, which is exactly what he did.

Mickey was playing high school football and was accidentally kicked in the leg... The wound developed into the bone disease osteomyelitis, and almost cost Mickey his leg... Mickey's mother refused to let doctors remove his leg and transferred him to the Crippled Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City, where he received a brand-new wonder drug... Penicillin... It saved his leg, but Mickey was plagued with leg problems for the remainder of his life.

Mickey's dad "Mutt" Mantle was a great baseball fan... He shared his love of the game with Mickey.

Every day after Mickey came home from school and his father Mutt returned from working in the lead mines, he and Mickey's grandfather Charlie would pitch to Mickey.

Mickey batted left-handed against his father Mutt, who was right-handed... and right-handed against his Grandpa Charlie, who was a lefty during his schooling years at Commerce, OK

Mickey showed tremendous natural talent and great power from both sides of the plate... It is said that Mutt foresaw the platooning that later became common in baseball, and that by teaching Mickey to switch-hit he insured that Mickey would play more in later years.

Mickey was the oldest son of Elvin "Mutt" and Lovell Mantle that lived in Spavinaw, OK

Mickey had three brothers... twin brothers Ray and Roy and brother Butch, the youngest, as well as a sister, Barbara.

Mickey married his Commerce hometown sweetheart Merlyn Johnson on December 23, 1951

Mickeyhad four sons... Mickey Jr., David, Billy and Danny

Mickey was born on October 20, 1931 in Spavinaw, Oklahoma, located about 35 miles southwest of the town of Commerce.

Mickey is quoted in saying that on May 22, 1963... "The hardest ball I ever hit was at Yankee Stadium in 1963." Mickey pulverized a ball that rocketed through the night toward the upper reaches of Yankee Stadium... Players from both teams jumped off their benches to watch history be made but the ball struck the right-field facade just inches from the top... Mickey hit it with so much force that after slamming into the cement facade it ricocheted all the way back to the infield on the fly. The pitcher was Bill Fischer of the Kansas City A's... Mathematicians have calculated that, had the ball not struck the facade, it would have traveled at least 620 feet.

Mickey worked at the Claridge Resort and Casino in Atlantic City as a greeter and community representative after he retired

Mickey was off season one day and walkled to downtown Commerce where Glenn Berry Manufacturing had a contract making army fatigues for the ongoing war, he asked if they could get denum and they ended up producing the Mickey Mantle Western Jeans.

Commissioner Bowie Kuhn warned Mickey before he accepted the position at Claridge Resort & Casino that he would have to place him on the permanently ineligible list if he went to work there... Kuhn had already taken the same action against Willie Mays... Although he knew the consequences, Mickey accepted the position... He never bore a grudge against Kuhn for it, but he felt "the rule was stupid and the biggest crock of shit he had ever heard"... He very seldom frequented the gaming halls... Most of his activities were representing the Claridge in golf tournaments and other charity events. "I never did so much charity work in my life," was how he put it.

Mickey was reinstated by Peter Ueberroth when he became commissioner... In fact one of his first actions was to reinstate both Mantle and Mays... Ueberroth lifted the ban on both players March 18, 1985.

Mickey practiced ball everyday after school in front of a leaning tin barn by their house at 319 S. Quincy in Commerce, OK. where Mickey lived until he was 14.

Mickey also developed tremendous strength working at the lead mines in Commerce, OK during the summers

Mickey worked in the Blue Goose Mine as a "Screen Ape," which was mostly responsible for Mickey's incredibly strong wrists, shoulders, arms and forearms... A "Screen Ape" smashed large rocks into small stones with a sledgehammer... There were two "Screen Apes," one of whom smashed rocks until he couldn't hold the hammer any longer, and then rested while the other took his turn

Mickey playing not only baseball but also football and basketball when he was in school at Commerce, OK

Mickey was accidentally kicked on the left shin while in practice for a high school football game, the wound developed into the bone disease osteomyelitis.

Mickey's osteomyelitis made him unfit for military service for life, another issue that arose later in life.

Mickey was sixteen when he played with a local semi-pro team, the Baxter Springs Whiz Kids

Mickey missed his high school graduation ceremonies due to having to leave for the Yankees, although he received his diploma in the principle's office before leaving.

Mickey was signed to a minor league contract with the Yankees Class D team in Independence, Kansas in 1949... Mickey signed for $400 to play the remainder of the season with an $1,100 signing bonus.

Mickey being signed by the Yankees was one of the great steals in baseball history... The scout Tom Greenwade was quoted in a press release announcing Mickey's signing as saying that Mickey was the best prospect he'd ever seen.

Mickey finished the summer at Independence, where his team won the K-O-M (Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri) Championship, which was the beginning of Mickey's incredible string of playing for championship teams

Mickey went on to play at the Yankees' Class C team in Joplin, Missouri.

Mickey was invited to spring training with the Yankees in Arizona in 1951

Mickey was brought up to the Yankees... It was the first time any player jumped from Class C directly to the Yankees

Mickey was playing right-field during his first World series and on a pop fly by Willie Mays Mickey's spikes caught in a drain cover when he stopped suddenly to avoid a collision with Joe DiMaggio... Mickey went down as if he'd been shot, and was carried from the field on a stretcher... It was the first of what turned out to be many injuries he suffered throughout his playing career.

Mickey had a .353 batting average, 52 homers and 130 RBI, leading the Major Leagues in all three categories, and hit 536 career home runs, third highest when he retired and the most ever by a switch-hitter.

Mickey had 18 home runs, 42 runs, 40 RBI and 43 bases on balls that are still World Series records.

Mickey is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the longest home run ever measured... 565 foot that was hit in Griffith Stadium on April 17, 1953

Mickey also is noted in Guinness that his 643-foot homer hit at Detroit's Tiger Stadium on September 10, 1960 is the longest home run measured "mathematically after the fact."

Mickey's close friend Billy Martin said... "No man in the history of baseball had as much power as Mickey Mantle... No man... When you're talking about Mickey Mantle... it's an altogether different level... Mantle separates the men from the boys."

Mickey is one of the most popular players to ever play the game of baseball!

Mickey retired from baseball on March 1, 1969 and he may became even more popular with his fans... Everywhere he went his presence generated tremendous excitement, to the point that he rarely had any time to himself.

Mickey worked as a broadcaster for Sports Channel in New York for a number of years after he retired.

Mickey's restaurant located at 42 Central Park South... Mickey Mantle's, is one of the most popular eateries in New York.

Mickey's baseball cards have become astonishingly valuable... Recently his rookie card sold in excess of $50,000

Mickey's autograph is one of the best known and most sought after in sports!

Mickey wrote several books about his life and experiences as a ballplayer, including his 1985 best-seller... The Mick!

Mickey's autobiographical documentary film... "Mickey Mantle: The American Dream Comes To Life®," was a Billboard Magazine national best-seller two years in a row... #3 in 1989 and #1 in 1990... It has won numerous awards and is widely considered the best sports portrayal ever made... Numerous publications called it, "The best baseball video ever made," including The NY Daily News, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Today Show, Larry King Live, The Roy Firestone Show, and many others... It is broadcast periodically on Public Television, generating high ratings, and has become a fan favorite across the country.

Mickey is further experienced in an expanded edition of the program called... "The Lost Stories Special Edition," that includes a bonus hour of never-before-released Mickey stories that complement and complete the original program.

Mickey was admitted to the Betty Ford Center in 1993 for alcohol rehabilitation... During his stay Mickey received more mail than anyone in the history of the center.

Mickey spread the message of the ills of drug and alcohol abuse to kids, appearing on a number of television programs to speak about his experiences.

Mickey received a liver transplant at Baylor University Hospital in Dallas on June 8, 1995... Sadly, during the transplant surgery it was discovered that Mickey had contracted inoperable cancer.

Mickey formed the Mickey Mantle Foundation to raise awareness of the importance of becoming an organ donor after his transplant... It became the cause closest to his heart when he passed away.

Mickey passed away on August 13, 1995 at Baylor University Hospital in Dallas, Texas, of liver cancer... He was 64 years old.

Mickey was survived by his wife Merlyn and three of his four sons... Mickey Jr., David and Danny.

Mickey's third son, Billy passed away on March 12, 1994 the year before Mickey passed from complications of Hodgkin's Disease.

Mickey's namesake, Mickey Mantle Junior... passed away of cancer on December 20, 2000... Five years after Mickey's death

Mickey's other immediate family, his wife Merlyn and sonsDavid and danny are all active in the Mickey Mantle Foundation promoting the importance of organ donation.

Mickey Mantle... The Man... The Legend... Lives on in the hearts of millions of fans across the globe

Mickey Mantle was my friend and he is missed dearly... Thus this special effort of Tribute in his honor and in his memory!

Mickey wore No. 6 as a rookie – until he was sent back to Kansas City.
When he returned, No. 7, Cliff Mapes, had departed, so Mickey switched to No. 7, which he wore in the 1951 World Series and for the rest of his career.

The number “18” appears three times for trivia buffs:
the number of seasons Mickey spent with the Yankees, the number of World Series home runs Mickey hit and his collar size.

When asked his reaction on coming so close to hitting the Yankee Stadium façade and nearly clearing the ballpark, Mickey said, “I thought it was pronounced ‘fa-kaid'.”

Despite all his injuries, Mickey played more games (2,401) for the Yankees than anyone, including Lou Gehrig.

Mickey lost the 1960 MVP award by three votes and the 1961 honor by four votes (both to teammate Roger Maris). The swing of one voter in either year could have given him five MVP awards instead of three, which would then be the most remembered of his achievements.

Mickey's speed from home to first from the left-hand batters was clocked at 3.1 seconds.

Mickey's career high in stolen bases was 21, but when Jose Canseco became the first “40-40” man, Mickey said, “If I'd known it would be such a big deal, I would have done it myself!”

In the final time at bat, Mickey broke his bat and popped out to Rico Petrocelli in short left field at Fenway Park, September 28, 1968.

Mickey passed Jimmie Foxx and became No. 3 on the all-time home run list with his 535th home run, off Denny McLain. McLain admitted he had “grooved” the ball to allow Mantle to hit it out. He still hit one more, off Boston's Jim Lonborg, to wind up with 536, bettered only by Babe Ruth (714) and Willie Mays (587) at the time of his retirement.

Right-hander Al Benton pitched to Babe Ruth in 1934 while with Philadelphia, and to Mantle in 1952 while with Boston, the only man to face them both.

Mickey's 18 homers in 1968 were one of the highest totals ever for a player in his final year, but his total for his final four seasons was only 82, and he only batted .251 in those years to lose his career .300 average. He was only 32 when he had his last big season.

Mickey was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, 1974, and went in with Whitney Ford, who made it in his second year. Because of the difficulty of crowd control, Mickey never returned for another induction ceremony, although he did visit Cooperstown on other occasions to tape television specials.

After Mickey's retirement, he joined the NBC Game of the Week team. Although he had a gift for broadcasting, he left them in August 1970 to become first base coach for the Yankees, handling the middle three innings only. The job only lasted through the end of the season, and it was the only in-season baseball job he ever held after his playing career. He later returned to the broadcast booth with Sports Channel in New York to work selected Yankees games in the ‘80s.

Mickey was his first real name. He was named after his father's favorite player, Mickey Cochrane, making him the only Hall of Famer named after another one.

Although Mickey's average went from .353 to .365 from 1956 to 1957, the Yankees tried to cut his salary in 1958 because he didn't repeat as a Triple Crown on winner.

On meeting old teammate Marshall Bridges at an old-timers game, Mickey said, “Marshall, I'll bet you throw a helluva palmball.” Bridges had lost three of his fingers on his pitching hand in an accident.

The only exception to the lefty/righty run Mantle ever made as a switch-hitter was to bat right-handed against right-handed knuckleball pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm.

Although Mickey was hired as a spring training instructor by the Yankees after his retirement, most players were too shy to ask for his help, and Mantle to shy to offer it. His chief function, therefore, became posing for photos with rookies and signing autographs for fans.

Mantle's fragile legs were taped prior to each game. The “tape” was actually yards and yards of quarter-inch foam rubber, held in place by athletic tape.

On Mickey Mantle Day in 1965, Detroit pitcher Joe Sparma walked in from the mound to shake Mickey's hand in the first inning.

Mickey shifted to first base for his final two seasons and played the position well. He returned to center field for only one old-timers day appearance after he retired, otherwise choosing to continue playing first.

In 1958, Mickey got a putout in center field on an assist from right fielder Hank Bauer, who slapped the ball to him barehanded in deep right-center.

Mantle's 565-foot homer off Chuck Stobbs in Griffith Stadium in 1953 was the first “tape-measure” home run. Yankee public relations director Arthur “Red” Patterson left the park to measure it off, and thus was born a new term in baseball. The bat was borrowed from utility player Loren Babe and went on display at the Hall of Fame.

Mickey and Roger Maris costarred in the motion picture “Safe at Home,” which was filmed in Ft. Lauderdale Stadium early in 1962, prior to the actual opening of the Yankees' new spring training facility.

Mickey hit the very first indoor home run in baseball history, a homer in the Astrodome in a preseason exhibition in 1965.

As a first baseman, Mickey participated in a triple play in his final season, 1968. The Yankees have not performed one since, covering 37 seasons.