Tag: Mickey Mantle

Dec 14 – Star with an *

DECEMBER 14, 1985 | HOUSTON, TEXAS – The Man who broke Babe Ruth’s single season home run record died of lymphatic cancer on this date in 1985. Roger Maris was just 51 years old.

Maris and New York Yankee teammate Mickey Mantle gave most baseball fans one of the most exciting summers in baseball history in 1961 as they both chased Babe Ruth’s record of 60 home runs in a season.

But as Jerome Holtzman wrote in the Chicago Tribune, “His heroic accomplishment, which began as a dream, turned into a nightmare” because Maris was going against a popular teammate, and the memory of the charismatic Ruth.

Even baseball commissioner Ford Frick, a sportswriter during Ruth’s playing career, appeared to minimize Roger Maris’ feat because it was done during a 162-game schedule, whereas the schedule was 154 games when Ruth set the record in 1927. Frick wanted there to be an asterisk next to Maris’ name in the record books because of that.

Maris later pointed out that that he’d had four few at-bats than Ruth when he hit his 61st home run.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE:
Jerome Holtzman, “Maris dies, a star with an asterisk,” Chicago Tribune, Dec 15, 1985
Baseball-Reference.com

Sept 10: Mantle’s tape measure

SEPTEMBER 10, 1960 | DETROIT, MICHIGAN – Some say the ball traveled over 600 feet. That’s probably more hyperbole than fact, but there is no doubting that on this date in 1960 Mickey Mantle hit a tape measure home run to beat all tape measures – well, except maybe for one. 

Tiger Stadium, formerly Briggs Stadium

United Press International (UPI) reported the next day that Mantle’s home run, “… was a tremendous shot that soared over the third deck of the right field stands and into the street outside the park.” You can see by the photograph that Briggs Stadium, later known as Tiger Stadium, was almost completely enclosed, so hitting a ball “into the street” is nothing short of Herculean.

UPI went on to say that “… it was only the fourth time in the history of Briggs Stadium that a fair ball has cleared the roof.” Three of them were hit by Mantle. Ted Williams hit the other.

Mantle hit 40 home runs and had 94 RBI that year. The Yankees went to the World Series for the 8th time in his career, losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Bill Mazeroski‘s walk-off home run to win game 7.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
United Press International (UPI), Detroit, Michigan, September 11, 1960
September 10, 1960 box score, play-by-play, etc.

Mar 1: MANTLE RETIRES

MARCH 1, 1969 | FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – A sports icon of the 1950’s and 60’s retired on this date.  Mickey Mantle made the announcement at the spring training home of the New York Yankees, ending an 18-year career.

It’s remarkable it lasted that long considering “Mick” endured a variety of injuries, mostly to his legs. In announcing his decision, Mantle revealed the frustrations of a proud athlete, whose body would not perform, “I don’t hit the ball when I need to. I can’t steal when I need to, I can’t score from second base when I need to.” It’s cruel how 37 can look so old.

Mantle had superstar numbers, but they could have been better. He was the prototype 5-tool player when he came up to the Yankees at age 19. He could run, hit, hit for power, throw and catch.

Early in his career he was described as the fastest player from home to first, but that was before leg injuries turned him into a 4-tool star.

Career Milestones:

  • 3-time MVP
  • 16-time all-star
  • On 12 pennant winners
  • On 7 World Series championship teams
  • 536 home runs
  • .298 average
  • .421 on-base percentage
  • .557 slugging percentage

Being among the first superstar players to face the best Black ballplayers for an entire career, Mantle put a mark of authenticity on the American athlete. When the news came, “Mickey Mantle Retires,” it was the end of an era.

Contributing sources:
New York Times, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 2, 1969
More on Mantle

May 22 IN BASEBALL HISTORY: A 620-foot home run?

MAY 22, 1963 | NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK  – Mickey Mantle himself thought he hit the longest home run of his career on this date in 1963. This from a man who was quite modest about his accomplishments. It was a walk-off home run in the 11th to break a 7-7 tie against the Kansas City A’s (today’s Oakland A’s). Could he have hit a 620-foot home run?

The Baltimore Sun reported the next day that those who saw the mammoth blast are certain that the ball was rising when it hit the façade of Yankee Stadium’s roof in right field. That would be about 115 feet above the ground, 370 feet, at ground level, from home plate.

So how far did the ball travel? Or how far would it have traveled had the façade of the roof not been in the way? Many record books say the ball traveled over 600 feet. That’s more than double the distance from home plate to the right field corner. It’s the length of two football fields.

Is there a little hyperbole here? Could Mickey have been given the benefit of the exaggeration because he was likable, handsome and hit a lot of tape measure home runs?

What cannot be denied are the statistics of a guy who was a speed demon when he broke in at age 19. Look at his on-base percentage. And while Mantle was a great RBI guy, he had more runs scored.

Mickey Mantle Career Stats
Batting average: .298
On base percentage: .421
Home runs: 536
RBI: 1,509
Runs scored: 1,677

And one 620-foot home run, maybe.

Contributing Source:
The Baltimore Sun, May 23, 1963

A story from April 28 in baseball history – Frank Robinson among the best

TODAYINBASEBALL.com TAKES US BACK TO APRIL 28, 1956 IN CINCINNATI, OHIO. On this date in 1956 Cincinnati Redlegs rookie left fielder Frank Robinson hit his first major league home run. He would hit 585 more. The home run came in a 9-1 win over the Chicago Cubs in Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Was Frank Robinson underappreciated? If you look at the numbers, Frank Robinson was among the best ever.

He’s the only player in major league baseball history to be MVP (most valuable player) in both leagues (National League in 1961, American League in 1966).

He’s one of just 14 players in major league history to win the Triple Crown (lead the league in batting average, home runs and runs batted in).

He’s a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

He had a lifetime average of .294.

He drove in 1,812 runs.

He played on 3 World Series teams (Cincinnati Reds-1961, Baltimore Orioles-1966, 1970), 2 of which were winners.

Speaking of Triple Crown Winners, until Miguel Cabrera won it in 2012 there had not been a triple crown winner in 45 years.

Here are past winners:

Miguel Cabrera (Detroit-AL) 2012
Carl Yastrzemski (Boston-AL) 1967
Frank Robinson (Baltimore-AL) 1966
Mickey Mantle (New York-AL) 1956
Ted Williams (Boston-AL) 1947
Ted Williams (Boston-AL) 1942
Joe Medwick (St. Louis-NL) 1937
Lou Gehrig (New York-AL) 1934
Chuck Klein (Philadelphia) 1933
Jimmie Foxx (Philadelphia-AL) 1933
Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis-NL) 1925
Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis-NL) 1922
Heinie Zimmerman (Chicago-NL) 1912
Ty Cobb (Detroit-AL) 1909
Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia-AL) 1901
Hugh Duffy (Boston-NL) 1894
Paul Hines (Providence-NL) 1878

Maybe “Frank Robinson” doesn’t roll off the tongue like Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays because he played for 5 different teams, and seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face, but his numbers are remarkable. It’s safe to say, Frank Robinson was among the best ever.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE:
Frank Robinson – Hall of Fame