Mickey Mantle

Nicknames: The Mick, The Commerce Comet
Mickey Charles Mantle
Born: Oct. 20, 1931 in Spavinaw, Okla.
Died: Aug. 13, 1995 in Dallas, Texas
Debut: 1951 | Pos: OF
H: 5'11" | W: 198 | B: S | T: R

Yrs	G	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA
18	2401	8102	1677	2415	536	1509	153	.298

>> Visit the Mickey Mantle biography on Baseball Almanac for complete statistics.

Mickey Mantle, one of the legendary sluggers of the New York Yankees franchise, put together an 18-year career in the majors that culminated in a place in the Hall of Fame.

His life, in and out of baseball, was truly one that was worthy of myth status. He played for the Yankees from 1951 through 1968 and he continued in the traditions of Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

During his time as a player, the Yankees won 12 American League Pennants and seven World Series titles. Mantle held records with 18 home runs in World Series games.

His baseball aspirations began in Commerce, Okla. Mantle had been named for Mickey Cochrane who had been a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers.

Mantle's father, Mutt, was a miner who had played semipro baseball. At the urging of his father and grandfather, Mickey learned to become a switch hitter.

As a high school student, he played football, basketball and baseball. During football practice in 1946, he was kicked in the left shin and, as a result of the injury, he got a chronic bone infection. His doctors thought the leg might have to be amputated, but the Mantle family would not consider that. Eventually he recovered, but he was rejected by the draft board four times because of the injury and infection.

He played for a baseball team called the Whiz Kids in a league for players under 21. Tom Greenwade, a scout in the Yankees' organization, took notice and signed him to a minor league contract on the day Mantle graduated from high school.

From there, he moved on to play in the Class D Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League.

At the age of 19, he joined the New York Yankees. At the time he was a shortstop. Mantle responded by hitting several home runs in spring training and his feats fueled the rumor mill that he was the replacement for DiMaggio.

His fielding issues led the Yankees to switch him from shortstop to outfield. He slumped badly at the start of the 1951 season and was sent to Kansas City. He regained his form and returned to the team near the end of the season. He hit .297 in 96 games and hit 13 home runs.

He was in the starting lineup in the 1951 World Series. In the second game, Mantle injured his knee while running down a fly ball. A cleat in his shoe got caught on a piece of the underground sprinkler apparatus. He missed the rest of the series and had to undergo his first knee operation. He would battle injuries and pain throughout his career.

His father, Mutt, collapsed while helping Mantle into the hospital. His father was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease and died less than a year later. Mantle's grandfather, an uncle and Mickey's son all died from Hodgkin's.

In 1952, in his first full season, Mantle hit .311 with 23 home runs.

He was the American League MVP three times -- 1956, 1957 and 1962. At the time of his retirement, Mantle was third on the all-time home run list with 536 -- behind only Babe Ruth and Willie Mays. He hit more than .300 for five straight years. In 1957, he hit a career-high .365.

In 1956, he captured the Triple Crown by leading the American League in batting (.353), home runs (52) and RBI (130).

The 1961 season saw an epic home run battle between Mantle and teammate Roger Maris. Mantle hit a career-best 54 home runs that season, but Maris went on to break the record with 61. The Yankees team hit 240 home runs that season and six players had 20 or more.

Mantle is considered to be one of the greatest switch hitters in the history of the game. He homered from both sides of the plate in 10 games in his career.

Another of his mythic career moments can in 1953. In a game against the Washington Senators, Mantle his a home run that is listed at 565 feet. The ball hit the street beyond the bleachers at Griffith Stadium.

Mantle also struck out 1,710 times in his career.

"When you keep aiming for the fences, you're bound to strike out a lot," Mantle said in his autobiography, "The Mick."

He finished his career with a .298 average and that seemed to be a disappoint to Mantle in later years. According to reports, he told friends that he wished he had retired after the 1964 season when he hit .303. Had he retired then, his average would have been above the .300 mark.

He struggled through injuries in the final years of his career. He reported to spring training in 1969 with the intention of playing another season. However, he announced his retirement on March 1.

"I can't play anymore," Mantle said. "I don't hit the ball when I need to. I can't steal when I need to. I can't score from second when I need to ... I never wanted to embarrass myself on the field or hurt the club in any way or give the fans anything less than what they are entitled to expect from me."

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Following his career as a player, he remained popular and was always a big draw for autograph shows and baseball camps. He also managed several businesses including clothing stores and restaurants.

In 1983, he was banned from baseball by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn for working in public relations for an Atlantic City casino. Two years later, Mantle was reinstated by Commissioner Peter Ueberroth.

He, however, battled with alcoholism and eventually it took its toll on his liver. In 1994, he entered the Betty Ford Center and began a rehabilitation program. Though he remained sober, the damage from years of alcohol was too great.

Mantle died of cancer on Aug. 3, 1995 in Dallas. He was 63. In early June 1995, Mantle had undergone surgery to replace his liver. The cancer, however, had spread to other organs.

He held a news conference several weeks before his death. Mantle who had been idolized by so many made a powerful statement of remorse and regret. He said that he was not a role model and said, "Don't be like me."