Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports. Mantles success individually helped contribute to a very successful run for the Yankees. Mickey Mantle: The Definitive Story (MLB Baseball Sports Documentary)The almost mythic career of Yankee slugger Mickey Mantle is the subject of this acclaime. He also hit his second All-Star Game home run that season. I think I hit two more home runs that night. Mantle's wife, mother, and mother-in-law were in attendance and received recognition at the ceremony held in honor of him. I mean, she sewed them right on me. He was the storybook star with the storybook name, Mickey, or simply Mick, or Slick to Martin and Ford, who were also known as Slick to one another. Roger Eugene Maris (September 10, 1934 - December 14, 1985) was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Not known Mickey Mantle Salary Detail. Other times, he would leave fake snakes, bugs, or frogs around for Phil Rizzuto to find. ", Said Gene Woodling, who played in the outfield beside Mantle for four seasons: "What can you say about Mickey after you say he was one of the greatest?" For the second consecutive year, he narrowly missed winning his third MVP award, finishing four points behind repeat winner Maris. He hit 344 doubles, 72 triples and 536 home runs (373 left-handed, 163 right-handed), and he knocked in 1,509 runs. History Colorado and the Rockies baseball club are putting on display your PSA 10 Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle and some spectacular memorabilia from your collection across the street from Coors Field from July 10 through July 18th where the All Star Game is being held. She died on August 10, 2009 in Plano, Texas, USA. And from 1960-64, with the addition of Roger Maris, they won five pennants and two World Series. He undoubtedly spread it to his own children. He hit often, he hit deep and he did it from both sides of the plate better than anyone else. [citation needed], On January 16, 1961, Mantle became the highest-paid player in baseball by signing a $75,000 (equivalent to $680,000 in 2021) contract. Not only that, but in their championship year of 1961, Mantle and Maris provided a seasonlong drama in their chase of Ruth's home run record; Mantle, sidelined by an abscessed hip, dropped out in mid-September with 54, while Maris finished with a record 61. Former New York Yankees star Mickey Mantle dies of liver cancer at the age of 63. He always talked about his love for the game. "Mick was never a contrived person, he was a genuine person. He did, however, regain his status, hitting .330 in the second half of 1958, and leading his team back to the Series. SGC 5. He came out of the clinic a chastened figure, and his frailty was reinforced by the public decline in his health since June. Mickey Mantle, with his death Sunday at 63, passes from these pages forever and becomes the property . [70], During Mantle's final days he made peace with his estranged wife Merlyn and repeated a request that he expressed decades earlier for Richardson to read a poem at his funeral. He continued to be a solid player for the Yankees over the next few years and had his breakout season in 1956. [12] Mantle spoke warmly of his father and said that he was the bravest man whom he had ever known. He also had an excellent .984 fielding percentage when playing center field. During the final years of his life, Mantle purchased a condominium on Lake Oconee near Greensboro, Georgia, near Greer Johnson's home, and frequently stayed there for months at a time. In the second game of the 1951 World Series, New York Giants rookie Willie Mays hit a fly ball to right-center field. 1969 Topps #500 Mickey Mantle UER VGEX X2696604. $234.00. During the 1961 season, Mantle and teammate Roger Maris, known as the M&M Boys, chased Babe Ruth's 1927 single-season home run record. A statue of Mantle is located at Mickey Mantle Plaza at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, the home stadium of the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, 2 South Mickey Mantle Drive in Oklahoma City. Although his batting average was his lowest since his rookie year, his league-leading 40 home runs and 94 runs batted in, saw him come in a close second to Roger Maris's MVP award. It was originally purchased for $50,000 in 1991. In 1964, he hit two home runs in his final two times at bat on July 4, and two more in his first two times up in the next game the following day. Mickey Charles Mantle was born in Spavinaw, Okla., on Oct. 20, 1931. I did it 1,710 times.". [24][35], Mantle announced his retirement at the age of 37 on March 1, 1969. He is 17th in on-base percentage. In 1958, he had a salary of $65,000 and was a leading earner from the salary. Mickey Mantle was an American professional baseball player. [41], Mantle was also one of the best bunters for base hits of all time. He was of at least partial English ancestry; his great-grandfather George Mantle left Brierley Hill, in England's Black Country, in 1848. This was the first of numerous injuries that plagued his 18-year career with the Yankees. He is best known for setting a new MLB single-season home run record with 61 home runs in 1961. How old is Joe DiMaggio? And after years of drinking and carousing with Whitey Ford and Billy Martin as his chief running mates, he joked, "If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself. Mantle, who said he was "bred to play baseball," traveled from the dirt-poor fields of Oklahoma to reach Yankee Stadium in the 1950's and, after his retirement in March 1969, the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of the superstars of the second half of the 20th century. [10] As a teenager, Mantle rooted for the St. Louis Cardinals. [14] In addition to his first love, baseball, Mantle was an all-around athlete at Commerce High School, playing basketball as well as football. In the 1930's, they won five pennants and five World Series. Mantle signed for $140 per month (equivalent to $1,600 in 2021) with a $1,500 signing bonus (equivalent to $17,100 in 2021). A decades-old, mint-condition Mickey Mantle baseball card could break a record at auction. When Mantle was 4 years old, his father would come home from work and teach him how to swing the bat from both sides of the plate while his mother held dinner for them until there was no more daylight. He said, "When I die, I wanted on my tombstone, 'A great teammate.' The cause was complications of cancer, his family said. [citation needed], Joe DiMaggio retired from baseball following the 1951 World Series. He was a center fielder who was a switch-hitter and threw right handed. He made $100,000 a year for the remainder of his contract until he retired in 1968. Is Mickey Mantle in the Hall of Fame? While these facts are widely known, here are some not so popular ones you may not know about. Three years later, he reached his peak salary of $100,000 and never asked for another raise again. He showed a certain amount of humility and never let the stardom go to his head. [59][60], Mantle allegedly took his first drink of alcohol at age 19, when teammate Hank Bauer gave him a beer that he "chugged as if it were soda pop", according to baseball historian Frank Russo. It was a record that Mantle put into perspective when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Aug. 12, 1974. He was selected an All-Star as the starting center fielder, but for the first time he could not make the 25-man roster because of the foot injury. Mickey Mantle was born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma in October 1931. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Early Baseball Lessons From Both Sides of Plate. [9], Mantle was born on October 20, 1931, in Spavinaw, Oklahoma, the son of Lovell (ne Richardson) Mantle (19041995)[10] and Elvin Charles "Mutt" Mantle (19121952). Two Armed Forces physicals were ordered, including a highly publicized exam on November 4, 1952, which was brought on by his All-Star selection, that ended in a final rejection. The hit is said to have traveled 643 feet. Mantle's overall performance in 1956 was so exceptional that he was bestowed the Hickok Belt (unanimously) as the top American professional athlete of the year. And when it got cold, the draft would raise the linoleum up at the ends.' But I still didn't have it in my head that I was a good major league ballplayer. In 1956, he hit 16 home runs in May. The 1959 season was another frustrating situation; this time the first half of his season was good and his second-half comparatively bad. Mickey admitted that he was more "The Mick" to his kids than "Dad." Does Mickey Mantle Dead or Alive? You see, when you have a prairie fire, if you don't clean out a 10-yard spot around a telephone pole, it will burn the telephone pole out, and it will cost you a lot of money. "I also broke Babe Ruth's record for strikeouts," Mantle said. He was the anchor of the team for 18 seasons, first in center field and later, when his knees couldn't take the stress anymore, at first base. "Once, they operated on my shoulder and tied the tendons together. After the 1966 season, Mantle was moved to first base, with Joe Pepitone taking his place in the outfield. His on-base percentage was .400, for the year. [57] He batted left-handed hitting while Simon pitched left-handed. Nevertheless, Mantle accepted the position because he felt the rule was "stupid." Three years later, and again in 1963, batting left-handed each time, he smashed a ball into the third deck, within a few feet of the peak of the facade in right field in Yankee Stadium, and no one has come closer to driving a fair ball out of the park. During the game, Mantle hit three home runs. Although he was a feared power hitter from either side of the plate and hit more home runs batting left-handed than right, Mantle considered himself a better right-handed hitter. Mantle played for the New York Yankees his entire Major . In 1974 Mantle was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot. [66][67][68] In July, he had recovered enough to deliver a press conference at Baylor, and addressed fans that had looked to him as a role model. A year later, Mantle received a liver transplant, but on August 13, 1995, he died of a heart attack at the age of 63. That year, he brought home both the Triple Crown and the first of three Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Awards. Mutt drove to Independence, Kansas, and convinced Mantle to keep playing. In the 1940's, they won five pennants and four Series. [10] In 1948, Yankees scout Tom Greenwade came to Baxter Springs to watch Mantle's teammate, third baseman Willard "Billy" Johnson. [16] Mantle hit his first professional home run on June 30, 1949, at Shulthis Stadium. Mantle gave a similar plaque to DiMaggio, telling the huge crowd in Yankee Stadium, "Joe DiMaggio's deserves to be higher. Net Worth: $10 Million Date of Delivery: Oct 20, 1931 - Aug 13, 1995 (63 years previous) Place of Delivery: Spavinaw Gender: Male Top: 5 ft 11 in (1.82 m) Career: Baseball participant Nationality: United States of America What was Mickey Mantle's Net Worth? Salary 2020. [66] The Yankees played the Indians that day and honored him with a tribute. A year later, his salary bumped up to $100,000 per year. Mantle was one of the best players and sluggers of all time, and is regarded by many as the greatest switch hitter in baseball history. He occasionally attended the local Methodist church, and sometimes ate Sunday dinner with members of the congregation. Five years earlier, in 1956, Mantle had challenged Ruth's record for most of the season, and the New York press had been protective of Ruth on that occasion also. When he arrived, he started packing his son's clothes and, according to Mantle's memory, said "I thought I raised a man. His lifestyle was restored to its former luxury by his leadership in the sports-memorabilia craze that swept the U.S. beginning in the 1980s. The former ballplayer attributed his poor. Mantle died at 2:10 A.M. Eastern time at Baylor University Medical Center, succumbing to the disease that had spread from his liver to most of his other vital organs. But the bigger, untold story is that there are three gem mint PSA 10 '52 Topps Mantles which are twice as rare--three . [76] The plaque was officially presented to Mantle by Joe DiMaggio. "[19] Bill Dickey called Mantle "the greatest prospect I've seen in my time. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. [15] Mantle won the Western Association batting title, with a .383 average. The Yankees started Mantle at Independence, Kan., where they had a Class D minor league club. . "I was still in high school and we were living out near Commerce in 1948, and we didn't have a hell of a lot. [86], In August 2022, a 1952 Topps baseball card (Topps; 1952; #311; SGC MT 9.5) in mint condition sold for $12.6 million, a record for sports memorabilia at the time. That amount combined with his restaurant business and endorsements deals after he retired, Mantles net worth was $10 million when he died in 1995. Mantle served as a part-time color commentator on NBC's baseball coverage in 1969, teaming with Curt Gowdy and Tony Kubek to call some Game of the Week telecasts as well as that year's All-Star Game. Mickey and his team have already made an enormous impact by increasing the awareness of organ donation. He was 84. [33], Mantle hit .237 with 18 home runs and 54 RBI during his final season in 1968. His rationale was that the men in his family had all died young, so he expected to die young as well. Some now call this his last home run at Yankee Stadium. Deducting for bounces,[5] there is no doubt that both landed well over 500 feet (152m) from home plate. Mickey Mantle is one of the greatest baseball players ever. "[47] Also displaying a sense of humor, he enjoyed playing practical jokes on his teammates. Please reorganize this content to explain the subject's impact on popular culture. The Old Man really helped me a lot. The Yankees and Mantle were slowed by injuries during the 1965 season, and they finished in sixth place, 25 games behind the Minnesota Twins. Due to his parents' quick action in driving him to a hospital in Oklahoma City, his leg was saved from amputation. "Everywhere I go," he said, "guys come up and shake hands and say, 'Good job, Mick.' In his sophomore year, he was kicked on the left shin during a practice game, and he developed osteomyelitisan infectious disease that was incurable just a few years earlierin his left ankle. He was named the league's most valuable player in 1956, 1957 and 1962. We didn't even have chairs then; we had boxes instead of chairs, and linoleum on the floor. Mantle finished in second place in MVP voting for 1964, as Baltimore's Brooks Robinson won the award. In 2006, Mantle was featured on a United States postage stamp,[85] one of a series of four including fellow baseball legends Mel Ott, Roy Campanella, and Hank Greenberg. See the article in its original context from. 1952 Bowman Mickey Mantle Yankees Card #101 HOF - Certified SGC 1. He was 63 years old. "No money, none of those $400 suits he got around to buying a couple of years later. It's unbelievable. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He had his first drink at the age of 19. Mantle was the uncle of actor and musician Kelly Mantle. He was a huge star, but he never treated you like he was better than you. Mantle's signature is valued at $100 to $125. He was separated from Merlyn, his wife of 43 years, although they remained friendly. [83] In 2018, the #7 card was issued to Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier. Mickey Mantle was born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma in October 1931 and passed away in August 1995. The ball park was right beside the road, and he was on his way to watch some guy play in another town. Oklahoma Heritage Society: Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Mickey Mantle was 5-11 (180 cm) tall. Mickey Mantle 1959 Topps Baseball Card #10. Mantle was one of the greatest offensive threats in baseball history and is considered to be one of the best baseball players of all time. He led the American League in home runs four times (in 1955, 1956, 1958 and 1960) and led the league in almost everything in 1956, when he won the triple crown with these totals: a .353 batting average, 130 runs batted in and 52 home runs. | Movieclip(2) |", "Tom Russell's Talents Still Shine Through", "Mantle, Yanks' Rookie, Loses Duel With Sun", "Mickey Mantle Inherits Baseball's Biggest Job", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mickey_Mantle&oldid=1142182139, September 28,1968,for theNew York Yankees, 1956 - Mantle made a (talking) cameo appearance in, 1962 - Mantle and Maris starred as themselves in the film, 1988 - Mantle appeared in the official video for, 1993 and 1996 - References are made to Mantle in the sitcom, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 23:52. liver cancer Full body measurements, dress & shoe size will be updated soon. He was carried off the field on a stretcher and watched the rest of the World Series on TV from a hospital bed. His batting average in mid-season had climbed as high as .392. His knee twisted awkwardly and he instantly fell. When he was a sophomore, he was kicked in the left shin during football practice which resulted in him developing osteomyelitis, an infectious disease. "He was not a phony role model, and I think people really identified with that," former teammate Tony Kubek said. You can come back to Oklahoma and work the mines with me. Mantle appeared in 12 World Series including seven championships, and he holds World Series records for the most home runs (18), RBIs (40), extra-base hits (26), runs (42), walks (43), and total bases (123). In getting out of DiMaggio's way, Mantle tripped over an exposed drain pipe and severely injured his right knee. [a] He was an American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times and a Gold Glove winner once. Mantle was a prized guest at baseball-card shows, commanding fees far in excess of those of any other player for his appearances and autographs. Mickey Gilley, who ran one of the world's largest honky tonks in Pasadena, Texas, and was credited with helping foster country music's revival in the late . He always had that country boy attitude that made you feel at ease. [10][15] Shulthis Stadium, the baseball stadium in Independence where Mantle played, had been the site of the first night game of organized baseball in 1930. [47] In 1980, Mantle separated from his wife, and while the two lived apart for the rest of Mantle's life, they never filed for divorce. At the time, doctors said he would die within two to three weeks if he did not receive a new organ. Mantle batted left-handed against his father when his father pitched to him right-handed, and he batted right-handed against his grandfather, Charles Mantle, when he pitched to him left-handed. He remained the Yankees' all-time leader in games played until Derek Jeter broke his record in 2011. Mickey Mantle passed away on August 13, 1995 at 63 years old.Mickey Mantle Net Worth. His grandfather died at the age of 60 in 1944, and his father died of Hodgkin's disease at the age of 40 on May 7, 1952. Mickey Charles Mantle Nickname: The Mick, The Commerce Comet Birth date: October 20, 1931 Death date: August 13, 1995 (age 63) Zodiac Sign: Libra Height: 5' 11" Relationship Status: Married Net Worth: $10 million Background Mickey Charles Mantle is widely regarded as baseball's greatest offensive threat at center field. [23][24] Mantle had high hopes that 1953 would be a breakout year but his momentum was stopped by an injury. Due to his popularity, he often appeared in a variety of documentaries and sports videos. Roger Maris was born on September 10, 1934 in Hibbing, MN. After adjusting for inflation, he earned around $9 million from his various contracts. He stayed in the minors for 40 games, returned to New York and closed his rookie season hitting .267 with 13 home runs in 96 games. Agent and companion of Mickey Mantle. In one interview, Mantle stated that the people of Greensboro had "gone out of their way to make me feel welcome, and I've found something there I haven't enjoyed since I was a kid.". Mantle had his first 100 plus RBI year, in 1954, in a full season and regained .300 status. Nobody gave a damn about Mickey Mantle for about five years.". His original Yankee Stadium Monument Park plaque is displayed at the front entrance. "Joe DiMaggio was my hero," Mantle said, "but he couldn't talk to me because I wouldn't even look at him, although he was always nice and polite." Mantle, playing right field, raced for the ball together with center fielder Joe DiMaggio, who called for the ball (and made the catch).