Iconic Athlete #3: Mickey Mantle

 
A baseball icon, Yankees center fielder Mickey Mantle came to prominence during a less complicated era in American history. The post-WWII years heralded in a shift in leisure-time pursuits for the American household, as radio gave way to television. Baseball games were watched in living rooms weekly and the stars of the game became familiar faces. By 1951, Mantle's unparalleled homers and superhuman clutch hitting made him a larger-than-life legend, particularly to the awestruck young fans who traded his baseball cards and looked up to him with adulation. Known as "The Mick," Mantle was a unique type of hero and was part of a simpler sports era that many now feel nostalgia for. One of the all-time greats, this is his story.

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A Son Is Born And A Father Dreams

The Mantle family lived in Oklahoma when Mickey was born in 1931. Mantle's father, known as "Mutt," wanted great things for his son. Hoping he would grow up and someday join the pros. Mantle was named for Mickey Cochrane, a Hall of Fame catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics. "Mutt" did more than just pass his dream on to young Mickey; he also helped him to achieve it. Mantle's father would play baseball with Mickey every day upon his return from the nearby lead and zinc mines where he worked. Mantle's grandfather would also join in on the fun sometimes. The elder Mantles would take turns pitching left- and right-handed tennis balls to the young boy so he could practice batting lefty and righty. The strategy evidently worked, although Mantle started out as a catcher at age 10. By 15, he was playing for the Baxter Springs Whiz Kids in a local semi-pro league, with players aged up to 21 years old.

Saved By A New Wonder Drug

Mantle's high-school days were peppered by sports. He played baseball, football and basketball. In 1946, he was kicked in the shin during football practice and the accident almost proved catastrophic. A severe bone infection, called osteomyelitis, resulted from the kick and amputation was almost certain. Luckily, penicillin had just been discovered. Without it, Mantle would surely have lost the leg. The infection was cured, but the condition would plague him for life.

A Father's Dream Comes True

Yankee scout Tom Greenwade saw Mantle play with the Whiz Kids in 1948. Blown away by Mantle's two long home runs, hit from opposite sides of the plate, he kept the young man on his radar. Greenwade returned on Mantle's graduation day and signed him to a professional contract with the New York Yankees. In later years, Mantle's notorious long home runs would be coined "tape-measure homers" for their exceptional distance.

The Minors

1949 found Mantle playing shortstop for the Class-D minor league Yankees. Discouraged by a hitting slump, he almost quit the game. His dad intervened, impressing upon him that minor league baseball was better than zinc and lead mines could ever be. Mantle agreed, and kept at it. In 1950 he advanced up to a Class-C team, the Joplin Miners, and won the Western Association batting title. In 1951 he was invited to Yankees instructional camp and quickly showed the speed, strength and grit that would make him a legend of the diamond.

The Major Leagues

In line for greatness, Mantle's jersey was No. 6, following Babe Ruth at No. 3, Lou Gehrig at No. 4 and Joe DiMaggio at No. 5. However, the numerical lineup would prove to be mentally burdensome for the young player, whose first game was a disappointment. Sent back to the minors for a time, Mantle again considered quitting the game. H would have  if not for his father's words of wisdom and support. He started to rally and his stats improved greatly. He returned to the majors and this time was given No. 7, which was a lucky charm.
 
Mantle reached the pinnacle of his career in 1956, when he won the Male Athlete of the Year award and the American League MVP Award.
 
Mantle was a Yankee for 18 seasons and played in 12 World Series games. Still known as the greatest switch-hitter ever to play the game, Mantle was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. He died of liver cancer in 1995.

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Corey Whelan is a freelance writer in New York. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.