Man I don't know where the time goes anymore. The one comment I will always remember from Mantle which was a really sad commentary. If I know I was going to live this long I would've taken better care of myself.
The interview was with Jane Leavy, author of "The Last Boy. I never knew about Mantles problems with alcohol until I heard him give a dissertation about it himself. I always chose to remember Mantle as the big bad ass bopper on New York Yankee Teams that kicked ass and did not talk about bumps in the road.
...yeah, I recon that since so many men in the Mantle family died young, he figured he would too. Things like this as well as his womanizing and drinking were obviously unknown to me as a kid and I didn't find out about them until well after he had retired. ...back then there was an unwritten rule amongst writers/reporters than they kept the unsavory things about beloved players like The Mick out of the press.
Yup, that was pretty much it. His grandfather and father died young so he figured he wasn't long for the world. A shame because we might not of seen how great he could've been. That being said the injuries which had him wrapped up like a mummy just so he could play didn't help. I mean after the age of 32 his career and numbers were that of a part time player. I remember him saying he hated the fact that his career average ended up at .298.
...the injury thing really started in the '51 WS and kinda snowballed after that...I'll never forgive DiMaggio and Mays for that...yeah, I know, but still.
Also, the shoulder injury in the 1957 series really hurt him as well. The end of his career is sad to watch. That 500th homer they always show with him limping badly around the bases.
Just heard Russo interview Bobby Richardson pretty good one. Mantles son David will be interviewed on MLB tonight sometime after 6PM. Speaking of womanizing I remember Mickey holding out for 40K during the 1957 season. Urban legend was that the GM George Weiss threatened to trade him to Cleveland so he came back to the fold. I found out later that the Yankee front office had some pretty intimidating pictures that they promised to show Merlyn and that brought him back to the fol. The first indications I'd heard of Mickeys alcohol problem was reading Boutons book Ball Four but I passed it of as sour grapes from some one who did not have that stature. Still Mantle is my number 1 Yankee, the big bopper, chief asskick, and fuck the rest, his private life was his business.
The Mick never made excuses. Hurt or hung over, he always showed up and played through it. There is no one on the present Yankees of this ilk.
I heard Hawk Harrelson comment on what a gutsy paler the Mick was, also taled about Mickeys last game, media than wasn't what it is today but the players on the field knew.
...Trout probably comes as close anyone. ...bunch of rookies that are just unbelievable this year. But comparing them to The Mick would be unfair...at least at this point.
