This story originally appeared in the Aug. 21, 1995 issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. Mickey Mantle (born October 20, 1931) is famous for being baseball player. "When I was a kid," Mantle remembered a few years after he retired, "I used to work in the mines with my dad for $35 a week. [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. They give a damn now.". Mantle's doctors insisted that the transplant was based solely on medical criteria, but acknowledged that the very short wait created the appearance of favoritism. Full body measurements, dress & shoe size will be updated soon. He was separated from Merlyn, his wife of 43 years, although they remained friendly. His wife, Merlyn, and son David were at his bedside. Mickey Mantle net worth is $18 Million Mickey Mantle Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 - August 13, 1995), nicknamed "The Commerce Comet" or "The Mick", was an American professional baseball player. During Game 5 of the 1956 World SeriesDon Larsen's perfect game against the Brooklyn DodgersMantle kept the perfect game alive by making a running catch of a deep fly ball off the bat of Gil Hodges, and provided the first of the two runs the Yankees would score with a fourth-inning home run off Brooklyn starter Sal Maglie. Mantle was selected an All-Star every season during his 18-year career except 1951 and 1966, and did not play in the 1952, 1963, and 1965 seasons. [51], Mantle worked as a customer-relations representative for the Dallas Reserve Life Insurance Company. 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. After a brief slump, he began dominating games and was called up to the Yankees after 40 games with Kansas City. I was the best man at Martin's wedding in 1988, and I can hardly remember being there." Once, he put a live snake in Marshall Bridges's uniform, and another time he released a live mongoose into the visitors clubhouse at Tiger Stadium.[47]. The ball went over the center field fence, which was 460 feet from home plate. In the 1961 season, the press appeared to view the Yankees as Mantle's team, with Maris often belittled and ostracized as an outsider and not a true Yankee. When you consider how successful Mantle was for such a sustained period of time and how other players made the same or more money, he was vastly underpaid for his career. And when it got cold, the draft would raise the linoleum up at the ends.' Roy Clark sang and played "Yesterday, When I Was Young". [50], After the failure of Mickey Mantle's Country Cookin' restaurants in the early 1970s, the popular Mickey Mantle's Restaurant & Sports Bar opened in New York at 42 Central Park South (59th Street) in 1988. The doctor bluntly told Mantle that the damage to his system was so severe that "your next drink could be your last." The Yankees and Mantle were slowed by injuries during the 1965 season, and they finished in sixth place, 25 games behind the Minnesota Twins. [8] Despite his accolades on the field, Mantle's private life was plagued with tumult and tragedy, including a well-publicized bout with alcoholism that led to his death from liver cancer. You can come back to Oklahoma and work the mines with me. "[66] Richardson read the poem at Mantle's funeral, which he described as being extremely difficult. He was an alcoholic, which doctors said was at least partly responsible for causing his liver cancer. In 1962, he became the highest-paid player in baseball with a $90,000 per year contract. He was a center fielder who was a switch hitter and threw right handed. 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 Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family Mickey attended Commerce High School and was an all-around athlete. When Greenwade came back a week later, he said he'd give me a $1,500 bonus and $140 a month for the rest of the summer. 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. Mickey Mantle Net Worth - billionairespost.com 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. . Mantle gave a similar plaque to DiMaggio, telling the huge crowd in Yankee Stadium, "Joe DiMaggio's deserves to be higher. It's unbelievable. [82][87][88] This card is sometimes erroneously referred to as Mantle's rookie card, though Mantle had in fact appeared in the 1951 Bowman Baseball set. 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. The hit is said to have traveled 643 feet. Mutt drove up to Kansas City that day. NEW YORK A mint condition Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for $12.6 million Sunday, blasting into the record books as the most ever paid for sports memorabilia in a market that has grown. [66] Doctors observed that it was among the most aggressive cancers that they had ever treated, attributing the antirejection drugs administered to Mantle for his liver transplant with helping the cancer spread so quickly. In 1956, Mantle achieved one of baseballs most elusive feats winning the American League batting triple crown with 52 home runs, 130 RBIs, and a .353 batting average. 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. [89], Major leagues, New York Yankees (19511968), Song and film appearances, depictions, and references. Mickey Mantle passed away on August 13, 1995 at 63 years old.Mickey Mantle Net Worth. Mickey Mantle card: The most expensive baseball card in - cnn.com "This is the most aggressive cancer that anyone on the medical team has ever seen," said Dr. Goran Klintmalm, medical director of transplant services at Baylor. Applying thick wraps to both of his knees became a pre-game ritual, and by the end of his career simply swinging a bat caused him to fall to one knee in pain. In January 1959, the New York Times reported Mantle sought a contract raise to 85,000 dollars but he settled for 70,000. Former Bronx Bomber Joe Pepitone, in an upstate federal court complaint, claims legendary teammate Mickey Mantle used one of his loaned bats to smack historic home run No. Mantle's top salary was $100,000, which he reached for the 1963 season. [10] Mantle hit .313 for the Independence Yankees. Mickey Mantle - Wikipedia Mantle's #7 was retired by the New York Yankees and he was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick",[1] was an American professional baseball player. His on-base percentage was .400, for the year. The value of Mickey Mantle's baseball card just shot up into the sky like a homerun. [10] 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card gets police escort through Denver Mickey Mantle: The Definitive Story (MLB Baseball Sports Documentary)The almost mythic career of Yankee slugger Mickey Mantle is the subject of this acclaime. [6] He hit 536 career home runs, batted .300 or more ten times, and is the career leader (tied with Jim Thome) in walk-off home runs, with 13: 12 in the regular season and one in the postseason. "This is a role model: Don't be like me," a frail Mantle said. In the 1940's, they won five pennants and four Series. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. While Mantle was a hero on the field, he had his own struggles off of it battling alcoholism much of his life. Mantle was the starting center fielder in the second All-Star Game's lineup, getting a single and a walk in four at bats. liver cancer [24][35], Mantle announced his retirement at the age of 37 on March 1, 1969. Mickey Mantle's Net Worth: $3.5 Million Age, Height & Body Measurements Mickey Mantle has been died on Aug 13, 1995 ( age 63). In addition to his wife and son David, he is survived by two other sons, Danny and Mickey Jr. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 P.M. Tuesday at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church in Dallas. He broke his foot and did not play again until August 4, when he hit a pinch-hit home run against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. [10] He was selected an "All-Star" for the first time and made the AL team, but did not play in the five-inning All-Star game that had Boston Red Sox Dom DiMaggio at center field. 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 took such an all-out swing at the ball that he struck out regularly and broke the record set two generations earlier by Ruth. "Maybe because I was only 19 years old when I started playing for him, and a couple of years later my own dad was gone. "[19] Bill Dickey called Mantle "the greatest prospect I've seen in my time. Deducting for bounces,[5] there is no doubt that both landed well over 500 feet (152m) from home plate. Mickey Mantle, Great Yankee Slugger, Dies at 63, https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/14/obituaries/mickey-mantle-great-yankee-slugger-dies-at-63.html. Salary 2020. One of the 1952 cards (Topps; #311; SGC MT 9.5) sold for $12.6 million in August 2022. Mickey Gilley Dead: Country Star Who Ran 'Urban Cowboy - Deadline Due to his popularity, he often appeared in a variety of documentaries and sports videos. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. [13], When Mantle was four years old, his family moved to the nearby town of Commerce, Oklahoma, where his father worked in lead and zinc mines. Not known Mickey Mantle Salary Detail. Fairchild's poetry celebrates gritty lives in small towns", "Catch me if you can(2002) - You know why the yankees always win? Mickey Mantle was an American professional baseball player who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death. He later wrote a book (My Favorite Summer 1956) about his best year in baseball. 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. Lessons from the Legendary Marshall Fogel, and a $25M Mantle Card [49], Although he was among the best-paid players of the pre-free-agency era, Mantle was a poor businessman and did not invest well. Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 23:52, Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Awards, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery, Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle, List of Major League Baseball retired numbers, List of Major League Baseball home run records, List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders, List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders, List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders, List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders, List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders, List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders, List of Major League Baseball batting champions, List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders, List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise, "Longest Home Run Ever Hit by Baseball Almanac", "On what would have been his 80th birthday, Mickey Mantle's World Series home run record still stands", "New York 500 Home Run Club Mickey Mantle Yankees", Elven Charles "Mutt" Mantle + Lovell Velma Richardson PhpGedView, "Mickey Mantle Minor League Statistics and History", "Dickey Calls Mickey Mantle Best Prospect He Ever Saw", "Talkin' Matt Wieters and the concept of hype, with Bill James", "All-time and Single-Season World Series Batting Leaders Baseball-Reference.com", "Stunned Mantle Again Named 'Most Valuable', "Mickey Mantle 1961 Back in Time: January 1961 Photos SI Vault", "MANTLE'S HOMER SUBDUES A'S, 8-7; Clout in 11th Almost Clears Stadium--Two-Out Drive in 9th Ties Yankees", "July 9, 1963: Mays leads NL stars in return to single All-Star Game - Society for American Baseball Research", "Yanks' Woes of '08 Eerily Similar to '65", "Flashback: When Texas Opened the 8th Wonder of the World", "Midsummer Classics: Celebrating MLB's All-Star Game", "Jeter adds games played to his Yanks records", "Mickey Mantle Almost Gave Up Switch-Hitting in 1960", "Mickey Mantle Career Home Runs Baseball-Reference.com", "The Lantern 19 May 1969 Ohio State University Newspaper Archives", "Yankees' Old-Timers' Day never gets old | Newsday", "Mickey Mantle Society for American Baseball Research", "Mickey Mantle Strikes Out, Then Hits a Homer", "Merlyn Mantle, widow of Yankee icon Mickey Mantle, succumbs to Alzheimer's disease at age 77", "Brett Favre, Tiger Woods, Sports Bad Boys Couldn't Touch Mickey Mantle", "Mickey Mantle's Nephew Has 2 Gay-Themed Plays in Chicago", "Sandomir, Richard. For the second consecutive year, he narrowly missed winning his third MVP award, finishing four points behind repeat winner Maris. Mickey Mantle's height Unknown & weight Not Available right. 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. [10] However, Mantle struggled defensively at shortstop.[10]. "TELEVISION: Summerall's Struggle with Alcohol" (, "THE DEATH OF A HERO; Mantle's Cancer 'Most Aggressive' His Doctors Had Seen", "Sports of The Times; Mickey Mantle's Cancer", "Questions Are Raised On Mantle Transplant", "Mickey Mantle, Great Yankee Slugger, Dies at 63", "Merlyn Mantle, widow of Mickey, dies at 77", "Cheers, Tears Ring For Mantle As Uniform No. In 1960 Mantle started in both All-Star games, getting two walks in the first and a single in the second game. [47] Joe Collins, who played with him from 1951 through 1957, recalled that "Mickey was the type of guy who cared about you as a person. Mantle reached base more times than he made outs (319 to 312), one of two seasons in which he achieved the feat. Frequently, he would dump ice water on those who were showering. During the final years of his life, Mantle lived in a condo on Lake Oconee near Greensboro, Georgia. [61] Before Mantle sought treatment for alcoholism, he admitted that his hard living had hurt both his playing and his family. Mickey Mantle, Great Yankee Slugger, Dies at 63 [79], In 1969, Mantle received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.[80]. Interestingly, the games best player at the time never tried to renegotiate a better deal after the 1963 season. That year, he brought home both the Triple Crown and the first of three Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Awards. [15] Mantle won the Western Association batting title, with a .383 average. He currently resides in Spavinaw, OK. 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. He was the blond, muscled switch-hitter who joined the Yankees at 19 in 1951 as DiMaggio was winding down his Hall of Fame career. 10 Sordid Stories Of Baseball's Greatest Switch-Hitter Mickey Mantle Net Worth - Celebrity Net Worth Wiki "When I was drinking," he said, "I thought it was funny -- the life of the party. Mike Trout is the best MLB player of his generation and he might be even higher on the all-time list of best baseball players . Mutt drove to Independence, Kansas, and convinced Mantle to keep playing. May 7, 2022 2:25pm. All combined, Mantle earned $1.12 million during his career. 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. Over the course of time, however, Mantle (with a little help from his teammate Whitey Ford, a native of Queens) had learned to deal with the New York media and had gained the favor of the press. He remembered later what it was like: "When I first retired," he wrote in an article in Sports Illustrated in 1994, "it was like Mickey Mantle died. He signed his first contract for $7,500 and his last for $100,000, which seemed princely enough at the time. In 1948, Yankees scout Tom Greenwade came to Baxter Springs to observe one of Mantle's teammates. He made $100,000 a year for the remainder of his contract until he retired in 1968. But he was also a part-time baseball player who had such a passion for the game that he named his son in honor of Mickey Cochrane, the great catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and player-manager for the Detroit Tigers. In 1958, he had a salary of $65,000 and was a leading earner from the salary. Mickey Mantle died 22 years ago today on August 13, 1995. People chose instead to remember his baseball feats, unforgettably part of the heroic character he portrayed. In 1957, Mantle won his second consecutive MVP award. 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. Some now call this his last home run at Yankee Stadium. Despite the fears of those who knew him that this tragedy would send him back to drinking, Mantle remained sober. His single season home run record of 61 stood for 37 years until Mark McGwire hit 70 in 1998. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. On December 23, 1951, Mantle married Merlyn Johnson (19322009) in Picher, Oklahoma; they had four sons. Key points: Mickey Mantle played for the New York Yankees between 1951 and 1968, winning seven World Series titles The 1952 card, considered to be in near perfect condition, was bought for $US50,000 in 1991 "Years later, we were sitting around the dining room at the Yankees' ball park in Fort Lauderdale, and they had this oilcloth on the table, and Mickey said: 'This is what we used to have in our kitchen at home.