A boy named Mickey Mantle was born on October 20, 1931. This was the beginning of a big thing. This boy was later known as the best baseball player in the history of baseball. Mickey Mantle was very determined to play very well and he played with so much energy because he thought that every game could be his last. His father and grandfather both died of Hodgkin’s disease at the age of 39.

Mickey Mantle went to collage to play baseball, and eventually he was drafted into the major leagues in 1951. Many players that were playing at that time did not know a lot about Mickey Mantle, but they would soon find out that he was going to be one of the best baseball players ever. Mickey Mantle played for the Yankees his whole career (1951-1968) he was a switch hitting centerfielders. He accomplished several things in his career: he won many awards and set many records. Mantle led the American league in home-runs four different times. Mantle also hit a record eighteen post season homeruns. Mickey hit a total of 356 homeruns; at the time he was 3^rd on the list only behind Babe Ruth and Roger Maris. He hit his last homerun in 1968. The longest of all his homeruns was a 620-foot "bomb" in 1963. He remembers this hit as the hardest ball he ever hit. Mantle was not only a power hitter, he hit many singles, doubles, and triples. He hit his 2000^th hit in 1964. Mantle was so good he won MVP for the fourth time in 1962 even though he had missed 40 games that year. He helped the Yankees to win the World Series in 1962 and won the gold glove for his outstanding defense in 1962. Mickey became well known on and off the field and because of that he became a role model for his team.

Although Mantle had a drinking problem, he was still a role model because the coaches found a way so the players did not see his behavior. Come nights Mantle was out partying so late that he had such a bad hangover, he could not play the next day. The coach held him out of games but once he pinched hit in the seventh inning and he was so dizzy, from his hangover, he could barley stand, but he still hit a homerun. Because of Mantle’s drinking he had a liver transplant in 1995.

Mantle had many injuries. It seemed like he missed part of the season every year. In high school, Mantle was kicked in the leg and it caused him to suffer from a bone disease for the rest if his life. All of Mantle’s leg injuries kept him from running the bases effectively in the 60’s. In 1963 Mantle ran in to a fence and broke his leg; therefore, he was made to watch the rest of the season from the bench; there were still 61 games left to play. Two months after the injury he was not clear to go back and play, but he pinch –hit a home run to win the game. Mantle’s new team mate Roger Maris, broke his leg when Mantle hit a ground ball and didn't run it out when Maris broke up the double play and because he did break his leg. The fans booed Mantle (because his lack in effort) until he had a two run home run game. After all the injuries, that Mantle had suffered in his career, he had to have surgery on both knees, his right hip, and his right shoulder, He also broke his foot and had several broken fingers as well as suffering at least six painful muscle pulls.

Mickey Mantle retired after all of his years of winning pennants and awards in 1969, the main reason he retired is that he could no longer run or hit with his legs in such bad condition from all the injuries. As Mickey was talking for his retirement speech, he was awarded with several presents; some of the presents were horses, a motorcycle, a trip to Hawaii, and a golf cart. After all of this took place, the applause lasted 20-25 minutes. The Yankees retired Mantle’s number a couple days after he retired. A baseball player would never wear the number seven again. In 1970 one year after his retirement, he came back as a coach for the Yankees. Mickey Mantle was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. Then in 1983 he was banned from the league for accepting a job doing sports promotions for Claridge Hotel and casino in Atlantic City.

Mickey Mantle was important in the 1960’s. He made several contributions to that time. When the Vietnam War was going on, he helped people relax and take their mind off the war because they would be enjoying a game on TV or they would be at the ballpark watching the game. He also represented the nation. Mickey made a quote "I guess you could say I’m what this country is all about." That statement meant that baseball was the sport to do at that time, and he was the main person you thought of when you thought of America and baseball.

Mickey Mantle was one of the greatest baseball players ever. He made many contributions to the 1960’s and even had his own restaurant named after him called Mickey Mantle’s Country Cooking. Nevertheless, he died of cancer is 1995. In memory of him they named a street in his hometown, Oklahoma, after him. The street name is Mickey Mantle Boulevard. Mickey was a good person. He had his good years and his bad years like any other person but he stood out of the crowd only because he could play baseball very well. Mickey Mantle was just like any one of us but had some special talents.

Duden, Jane. Time Lines: 1960’s New York: Crestwood House, 1989.

Gallagher, Mark. Mickey Mantle: Baseball legends, New York; Chelsea House Publisher, 1991

Merlyn Mickey JR. A Hero All His Life. New York: Harper Collins Publisher, 1996.