Mickey Charles Mantle was born on October 20, 1931 in Spanivaw, Oklahoma. But shortly after moved to commerce OK. Mantle was named after Hall of Fame catcher Gordon “Mickey” Cochran. Mickey was the oldest son of Elvin and Lovell Mantle.
Mickey also grew up with three brothers, twins Ray and Butch and a sister Barbara. When Mickey was old enough to swing a bat and throw a ball, Mickey’s father and grandfather Charlie pitched to him everyday after school in front of a tin barn by their house in Commerce, OK. Elvin a righty, and Charlie a lefty, taught Mickey to switch hit by alternating pitching to him so that he would learn to hit from both sides of the plate. Mickey developed tremendous strength in his wrists and forearms by working with his father during the summer at the lead mines.
The Strength he developed from work and other farm chores later helped him hit some of the longest home runs in the history of the game. By the time he reached high school, Mickey’s ability was well beyond that of his contemporaries. He was a multi-talented athlete playing not only baseball but also football and basketball. During a high school football game was when a tragedy had struck Mikey.
He was accidentally kicked on his left shin and the wound developed into the bone disease osteomyletis. Doctors wanted to amputate his leg but his mother would not hear of a thing like that. So mickey was sent to a children’s hospital in Oklahoma City about 275 miles away from Commerce. Their, he was treated w/ a new drug that saved his leg. This drug now known as Penicillin. At the age of Sixteen Mickey played with a local semipro team called the Baxter Whiz Kids.
The Essay on Mickey Mantle One Baseball Career
Mickey Mantle was a stupendous ball player. He was great at playing baseball because he practiced a lot. His whole baseball career, is the career that I dream of having. He played in 12 of his 18 career years in the World Series with the Yankee's. When Mickey Mantle was growing up, he was small, and spindly. His nickname was 'little Mick' when he was a child. Mantle went to Commerce grade school. ...
In 1948, Yankees scout Tom Green wade came to Baxter Springs to watch Mickey’s teammate, third baseman Billy Johnson. During the game Mickey slammed two home runs from each side of the plate. Gree wade was very impressed with the young boy’s hitting skills and wanted to sign Mickey when he graduated high school. Which was in 1949. He signed Mickey to a minor league contract with the Yankees class D team. From their Mickey never looked back despite suffering injuries throughout his whole career.
Even with his history of injuries, which was to haunt him throughout his whole career. Few players have accomplished what he did. During his career with the Yankees, he played more games as a Yankee than any other player (2, 401).
He won three most valuable player awards, won baseballs Triple Crown in 1956 with a batting average of.
353, 52 homers and 130 runs batted in. He appeared in 12 World Series with the yankees winning seven of them. Imagine if Mickey wasn’t plagued with injuries throughout his career, how much better could he have gotten?
