Post by nutsberryfarm 🏜 on Feb 22, 2019 22:20:08 GMT
www.desertsun.com/story/sports/baseball/pete-donovan/2016/03/08/mickey-mantle-legend-started-arizona-desert/81480942/
Mickey Mantle was here. Sixty-five years ago.
In the only time the Yankees trained in Arizona, Mickey was a 19-year-old rookie, just embarking on his majestic Hall of Fame journey, one that would take him through 18 seasons, seven World championships, 16 All-Star games, three MVP awards and 536 career home runs.
Yankee co-owner Del Webb lived in Phoenix and he wanted to trot his famous team through Arizona and California, so he switched training camp locations with Horace Stoneham of the Giants.
So in February of 1951, the world champion Yankees arrived complete with the game’s biggest star in Joe DiMaggio, the irrepressible manager Casey Stengel and the teenage wunderkind Mickey Mantle.
Stengel knew of Mantle, who had had a big season in the minors in 1950 (hitting .383 with Joplin in C ball), but had not seen him in person yet.
“This kid ain’t logical,” said the manager, known as much for his colorful language as his world titles. “He’s too good. It’s very confusing. My God, the boy runs faster than Cobb and he can hit balls over buildings.” Casey later said Mantle ran so fast “he doesn’t even bend the grass.”
Said Hall of Fame Catcher Bill Dickey, then a Yankee coach: “You gotta see this kid we have in camp. Out of Class C ball, hits ‘em both ways – five hundred feet. You’ve got to see him.”
“It was like watching a young blond god,” said Gil McDougald, a fellow rookie who would go on to a stellar Yankee career.
Mantle would, of course, become one of the most idolized of all athletes in history; his golden hair, boyish smile and never-before-seen combination of raw power and blazing speed.
Mantle, though, was not the Golden Boy of camp. It was Jackie Jensen, the Golden Boy from Cal who had received a $40,000 signing bonus, $39,000 more than Mantle got.
But Casey fell in love with Mickey immediately. DiMaggio was 37 and had already announced this would be his final season. The Yankees needed a new center fielder.
Jensen, who Stengel gave a brief tryout as a pitcher, had a rough spring, but Mantle was hot from the beginning, collecting three hits in his first game and finishing with a .402 average, nine homers and 31 RBIs.
Jensen was traded to Washington in early 1952 and went on to a fine career, even winning the American League MVP award in 1958 with the Red Sox when he drove in 122 runs and hit 35 homers.
But it was obvious to all that Mantle was special. Al Kaline, the graceful Detroit Tiger Hall of Famer, told the story that a fan once yelled at him saying “You’re not half as good as Mickey Mantle.” Replied Kaline, “Son, nobody is half as good as Mickey Mantle.”
So the legend of Mickey Mantle started here 65 years ago when the world was more innocent, the Yankees ruled baseball and the possibilities of the future were endless and glorious.
Mickey Mantle was here. Sixty-five years ago.
In the only time the Yankees trained in Arizona, Mickey was a 19-year-old rookie, just embarking on his majestic Hall of Fame journey, one that would take him through 18 seasons, seven World championships, 16 All-Star games, three MVP awards and 536 career home runs.
Yankee co-owner Del Webb lived in Phoenix and he wanted to trot his famous team through Arizona and California, so he switched training camp locations with Horace Stoneham of the Giants.
So in February of 1951, the world champion Yankees arrived complete with the game’s biggest star in Joe DiMaggio, the irrepressible manager Casey Stengel and the teenage wunderkind Mickey Mantle.
Stengel knew of Mantle, who had had a big season in the minors in 1950 (hitting .383 with Joplin in C ball), but had not seen him in person yet.
“This kid ain’t logical,” said the manager, known as much for his colorful language as his world titles. “He’s too good. It’s very confusing. My God, the boy runs faster than Cobb and he can hit balls over buildings.” Casey later said Mantle ran so fast “he doesn’t even bend the grass.”
Said Hall of Fame Catcher Bill Dickey, then a Yankee coach: “You gotta see this kid we have in camp. Out of Class C ball, hits ‘em both ways – five hundred feet. You’ve got to see him.”
“It was like watching a young blond god,” said Gil McDougald, a fellow rookie who would go on to a stellar Yankee career.
Mantle would, of course, become one of the most idolized of all athletes in history; his golden hair, boyish smile and never-before-seen combination of raw power and blazing speed.
Mantle, though, was not the Golden Boy of camp. It was Jackie Jensen, the Golden Boy from Cal who had received a $40,000 signing bonus, $39,000 more than Mantle got.
But Casey fell in love with Mickey immediately. DiMaggio was 37 and had already announced this would be his final season. The Yankees needed a new center fielder.
Jensen, who Stengel gave a brief tryout as a pitcher, had a rough spring, but Mantle was hot from the beginning, collecting three hits in his first game and finishing with a .402 average, nine homers and 31 RBIs.
Jensen was traded to Washington in early 1952 and went on to a fine career, even winning the American League MVP award in 1958 with the Red Sox when he drove in 122 runs and hit 35 homers.
But it was obvious to all that Mantle was special. Al Kaline, the graceful Detroit Tiger Hall of Famer, told the story that a fan once yelled at him saying “You’re not half as good as Mickey Mantle.” Replied Kaline, “Son, nobody is half as good as Mickey Mantle.”
So the legend of Mickey Mantle started here 65 years ago when the world was more innocent, the Yankees ruled baseball and the possibilities of the future were endless and glorious.
