Mickey Charles Mantle, nicknamed "the Mick" and "the Commerce Comet", was a renowned American professional baseball player who played his entire 18-year Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968. He was primarily a center fielder and is widely regarded as one of the best players and sluggers of all time.
Born on October 20, 1931, Mantle was raised by his father to become a baseball player and was trained early on to become a switch hitter. Despite a career marred by injuries, including a knee injury in the 1951 World Series, he became one of the greatest offensive threats in baseball history, known for his ability to hit for both average and power.
Mantle holds numerous records and accolades, including being the only player to hit 150 home runs from both sides of the plate, and hitting 536 career home runs while batting.300 or more ten times. He is also 16th all-time in home runs per at-bat and 17th in on-base percentage.
One of his most notable achievements was winning the Triple Crown in 1956, when he led the major leagues in batting average (.353),home runs (52),and runs batted in (RBI) (130). He was an All-Star for 16 seasons and played in 16 of the 20 All-Star Games he was selected for.
Mantle also excelled in the field, winning a Gold Glove in center field and holding World Series records for most home runs (18),RBIs (40),extra-base hits (26),runs (42),walks (43),and total bases (123). He appeared in 12 World Series, winning seven championships.
After retiring from baseball, Mantle worked as a sports commentator for NBC and later as a part-time coach in the Yankees farm system. Despite being one of the best-paid athletes of his era, he struggled financially due to poor business decisions.
Mantle's personal life was marked by turmoil and tragedy. His marriage ended due to his alcoholism and infidelity, and three of his sons became alcoholics, with two of them dying from it. Towards the end of his life, he regretted his hard lifestyle and the damage it had caused his family.
In his final year, Mantle was treated for alcoholism and warned others of the dangers of hard drinking, saying "Don't be like me." He died from liver cancer brought on by years of alcohol abuse in Dallas, Texas, on August 13, 1995, at the age of 63.
