Mickey Mantle's Burden

by Harold Friend

Entering the 1955, Mickey Mantle was once again under pressure to reach the heights predicted for him ever since he had been a rookie in 1951. Despite having three solid seasons following a mediocre rookie year, Mickey was still only the third best New York center fielder, ranked below the Giants' Willie Mays and Brooklyn's Duke Snider.

Greater Potential Than Joe DiMaggio

When the New York baseball writers first saw Mickey Mantle, they gave him the burden of having even greater potential than even Joe DiMaggio, primarily because Mickey was faster than Joe and he could hit the ball farther. Mickey was criticized because he possessed the physical requisites for greatness, but except for occasional flashes, he was not yet a great player.

It was claimed that Mickey Mantle lacked Joe DiMaggio's fierce inner pride. When compared to Tommy Henrich, it was whispered that despite having twice Henrich's talent, Mickey was only half the player Henrich had been.

Mickey Was Told to Bunt More Often and Cut Down His Strikeouts

Mickey's bad legs hindered his development, but he didn't bunt enough and he struck out too much. In his first four seasons, Mickey's strikeout totals were 74, 111, 90, 107, which is about one strikeout for every five official at-bats. In 2009, Mickey Mantle would not have been criticized for not bunting enough or for striking out too much.

A Healthy Mickey Mantle

In February 1955, Mickey received a $5,000 raise, which made his salary $25,000. For the first time since he joined the Yankees, Mickey was entering a season completely healthy. The knee that he injured stepping into a drain during the 1951 World Series was finally sound, and the cyst that developed on the back of the knee by playing basketball too soon after the operation was gone.

Casey Stengel, who wanted Mickey to be the crown jewel player of his managerial career, thought a healthy Mickey could win the batting title. "He could be the best all-around player in the league and maybe all of baseball." Willie Mays was coming off a season in which he won the batting title with a .345 average, hit 41 home runs, had 110 RBIs, and was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player.

Stengel continued. "Mantle probably has eighteen strong points. Youth, strength, speed, a switch-hitter, a distance hitter. There are more, of course, but why go on? If Mickey would do more bunting, he'd be a cinch to pick up twenty or more hits a season. With his speed, he should bunt more."

Mickey Cochrane Helps Mickey Mantle

The Yankees hired Hall of Fame catcher Mickey Cochrane to help Mickey with his hitting. Mickey helped Mickey with dragging bunts when batting from the left side, and he suggested that Mickey loosen his grip on the bat and not meet the ball too hard. As Mickey Mantle fans know, his father, Mutt, named Mickey after Mickey Cochrane, whose name was really Gordon, not Mickey.

Not Even New York's Best

1955 was a good year for Mickey Mantle, but it was the break out season Mickey, the Yankees, and his fans wanted. Mickey led the league with 37 home runs, but Willie hit 51. Mickey hit .306, had 99 RBIs, led the league with 11 triples, and cut down his strikeouts to 97. He led the league with a .611 slugging average. Willie batted .319, had 127 RBIs, led baseball with 13 triples, and led baseball with a .659 slugging average. Willie struck out 60 times.

Mickey Mantle fans once again had to wait until next year. But next year was going to be 1956.

References:

By ARTHUR DALEY. (1955, February 27). Sports of The Times :Under the Sheltering Palms. New York Times (1857-Current file),S2. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005) database. (Document ID: 92628313).

By ROSCOE McGOWEN. (1955, February 16). Mantle Accepts Yankees' Contract for Reported Rise to Salary of $25,000 :STAR OUTFIELDER 35TH MAN TO SIGN Mantle Will Report to Yank Camp in Sound Condition -- Expects Good Season. New York Times (1857-Current file),p. 39. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005) database. (Document ID: 83352714).

By LOUIS EFFRATSpecial to The New York Times.. (1955, March 6). OPTIMISM REIGNS AS YANKS APPEAR FIT FOR CAMPAIGN :YANKS' CONDITION PLEASES STENGEL Stengel Looks for Big Year From Mantle--Bauer Only Ailing Player on Team. New York Times (1857-Current file),p. S1. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005) database. (Document ID: 93728747).

Mickey Mantle at Baseball-Reference

Willie Mays at Baseball-Reference

LouGehrigRed-Shirting

178 days ago

Score 1

Mickey won the Triple Crown in 1956, when he finally reached the heights predicted for him. With the passage of time, many fans now consider Mickey to have been better than DiMaggio, despite the fact that he was not.

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

178 days ago

Score 0

Certainly more likable.

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

173 days ago

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I saw both more than once and without any doubt I can say that Mantle was heads above DiMaggio and healthy at least an equal to Mays. Both players were great in their own ways. Speed was one factor that Mays didn't even compare with Mantle and as many homeruns Mays hit Mantle hit them out of site at times and one was a switch hitter and you can't compare Mays to Mantle batting left. I always thought Snider was a better fielder than both and his arm strength was second to none. Remember in the LA Col Snider as a older player almost got one out of the stadium over the back wall. Frank Howard did it and threw his arm out but Duke even in his 30's had an arm like Clemente strong and straight. It is always being said that you can't compare the old to the new except in this case both played together and both were fun to watch just for pure baseball. But I will go back to one of my previous statements neither compared to Ruth as a young man in the outfield when his was still only 6'3" at 185-190 lbs and could run like a deer. When he first started in the outfield he would go after linedrives and on the first hop turn and fire the ball to first and in some cases almost got the runner from the plate if he wasn't running all out. But Mickey going from first to whatever was still in my mind one of the greatest sites in baseball today, yesterday or tomorrow. Love Mick, Willie and the Babe. There are a lot of DiMaggio lovers still in baseball circles but the difference between the Mick and DiMaggio was greater than most think. Smooth as Joe was he didn't compare to Mickey in the field or at the plate, Joe had better at plate presence to take a pitch but for power, speed and just watching him play I would still take Mickey Mantle. A lot of people will get mad at this but Joe DiMaggio was a stuck up individual completely in love with himself on and off the field. New York fans loved him dearly even today but I know some of the things that he did to a very young Mantle that were unfair and out of character for someone of DiMaggio's status. Mickey didn't have the class that Joe wanted everyone to think he did but Mick was beloved to the point that everyone overlooked his drinking and health problems until the day he died. One of the saddest days in baseball. I have never been a Yankee lover but losing Mickey Mantle was a heartfelt lost to us all. I can still remember Mickey sitting at his locker after losing to Koufax and the Dodgers in 63 and him asking a question about facing Sandy Koufax with an answer still very much in my mind. When asked about Sandy's fastball and curve he told the reporter that he didn't think the Babe and Lou could have hit him today. You looked at his "fastball" coming in at his eye level at figured it was going to be high and let it go and then it would break off a table over the plate just standing there with you bat on your shoulder and then he would come inside with a fastball that was by you so fast you didn't have time to react. He said in later interviews years later that when the series was over he would sit at home trying to figure out what he could have done to hit his pitches and that he couldn't remember any pitcher dominating him so completely during his career and was glad that Sandy was in the National League because he wouldn't have enjoyed having to face him year after year if they played in the same league.

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Anonymous Fanatic #2

76 days ago

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Mickey Mantle was fantastic

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