http://nypost.com/2016/06/25/the-mickey-mantle-lesson-that-could-save-these-yankees/ http://www.providencejournal.com/sp...nt-shy-away-from-trades-with-new-york-yankees http://www.baseballprospectus.com/odds/ http://www.pinstripealley.com/yanke...ino-aaron-judge-chad-green-gary-sanchez-gamel
#1: Mantle was the duty badass om many a fine Yankee Team, Mantle, the remainder of the premier and bit players shared in that Yankee Pride which brought results. The fans knew that they couldn't win them all but they knew that success would occur more often than not. This group today does not measure up in any respect to the great Yankee Teams of the past. The uniform to them is akin to a costume and pretend we are Yankees. #2 Sure Dombrowski would trade with the Yankees, he's fleeced and kicked Cashmans ass so bad over the past 10 years that old Brian would have to look up to see down. #3 The current fan base is no as dumb as Yankee Ownership & Management would think. Read the River Avenue Blues Post Game Reports. It may be a Yankees blog but those writers over there are brutally honest. #4 Another "wish list" some are looking for. I'm really surprised that the Yankees let Davis walk and kept Refsnyder, many expected the reverse. There are roster spots that need to be cleared and that has been discussed on this board many times.
Mantle was the reason I became a Yanx/Baseball fan in the first place. My Dad taught me how to read a box score when I was very young....in fact it was before I could even read. a word of English. I used to get up every morning, grab the sports page, and check to see what The Mick had done the day before. Dombrowski had shown many times he's a very good negotiator and a very good evaluator of talent. But I'm sure the inevitable Shane Greene trade will be brought while discounting the many other times Dombrowski has gotten the better of Cashman, not only when he was with Detroit but Miami as well. If the Steins are not careful, this franchise may get completely away from them...there are no more heroes, there is no "face of the franchise", attendance is down, and so is the passion for this franchise which has no "soul". While some smartly structured FA signings would certainly help I'd really like to see a youngster from the Yanx' farm system succeed and make us proud again.
Back in the "Eisenhower Era" you got one televised game a week usually contenders. The broadcast team was Dizzy Dean and Buddy Blatner, Dean may have butchered the Kings English but he was a damn good color man. Watching the 11 PM news to get game results was not an acceptable policy in my house so I'd be out the door early to get the paper and check the scores. Those box scores were a huge link to the game, especially if you lived outside the main coverage of your team. One checked those box scores faithfully to see how the Yankees did, with the current unit you checked to see what they failed to. Take that 8 off of those unis tadpoles, Yogi and Dickey played to much higher standards than this group will ever achieve.
I don't remember Blatner but I remember Diz and PeeWee Reese doing the game of the week (Saturdays)...I recall Dizzy Dean saying things like "He slood into 3rd base" instead of slid...and I remember being able to hear Diz opening a beer in the booth sometimes. ...Not sure if the story is true or not but back then the sponsor was Falstaff beer and I was told that the camera caught Ole Diz off guard when he was shown holding a Pabst Blue Ribbon while doing the broadcast...Falstaff was none to happy.
Ballantine Ale was a sponsor during the '56 season. I also remember Falstaff. Anticipation was a key signature in those times, waiting for that weekly game the finding out your team was coming up next game a week away. Saw an article back a while on the 15 longest home runs ever hit. Number 7 held # 1 and 2, and they did not mention the two that he almost hit out of Yankee Stadium. Mickey was an epic with each at bat, the man placed fear into opposing pitchers just by showing up. Mantle played games taped up like I-Ho-Tep but he still got out there and played at 100 Gs. Take note on that Ellsbury and Tex and others who run to the DL every time you break a nail.
...Mickey was also incredibly fast in his younger days...I think I remember reading somewhere that he was clocked with one of the fastest times ever from home to 1B.
Without looking it up there was a track runner British I think name Dave Sime who wanted to challenge Mantle to a race. Casey Stengel once commented that Mantle was the fastest one legged ball player he'd ever seen. I remember Mantle bunting and hitting first at the speed of light. And damn I spelled Deans partner incorrectly Buddy Blattner is correct. Played 2nd base for the 1950 Phillies Whiz Kids.
