(31-40)
31. How many times did Mickey switch-hit homers in a
game in his career?
Mickey switch-hit homers in a game 10 times during his career, a record when
he retired.
32. How many homers did Mickey hit right-handed
and how many did he hit left-handed?
Mickey hit 372 homers left-handed and 164 right-handed. This is due to the
fact that he had many more at bats left-handed than right-handed because of
the predominance of right-handed pitchers in baseball. In the World Series
Mickey hit ten homers left-handed and eight right-handed, and in All-Star
competition he hit one from each side.
33. In which month did Mickey hit the most career
home runs?
During the month of June Mickey hit 113 career home runs, followed by July
(111), May (110), August (95), September (67) and April (40).
34. How many games did Mickey play?
Mickey played in 2,401 games during his career, all for the New York Yankees,
a Yankees record. Mickey played in more games as a Yankee than any other
player.
35. When was Mickey inducted into the Baseball
Hall of Fame?
Mickey was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, his first season
of eligibility. Appropriately enough, Mickey was inducted into the Hall of
Fame along with his close friend and teammate pitcher Whitey Ford.
36. Was Mickey a unanimous selection to the Hall
of Fame?
No player has ever been selected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
37. Who were Mickey's best friends?
Mickey's two closest friends were Yankees second baseman and later manager
Billy Martin and Yankees pitching great Whitey Ford. They became known as the
"Three Musketeers." He was also close friends with Yankees pitcher
and fellow Oklahaman Tom Sturdivant, and outfielders Hank Bauer and Roger
Maris.
38. What did Mickey call his "greatest
thrill?"
Mickey used to say there were so many that it was hard to pick one, but he
usually singled out Mickey Mantle Day at Yankee Stadium in 1969 after he had
retired. Almost 70,000 people filled the park that day. Interestingly enough,
Mantle is the only player to have had four
days in his honor at Yankee Stadium: Mickey Mantle Day in 1965 (Mayor
Robert Wagner proclaimed September 18, 1965 as Mickey Mantle Day in New
York City), Mickey Mantle Fan Appreciation Day in 1966, Mickey
Mantle Day in 1969, and Mickey Mantle Day after his death in 1997.
39. What did Mickey call "probably the
biggest game I ever played in?"
Mickey referred to Don Larsen's Perfect Game on October 8, 1956 in the 1956
World Series as "probably the biggest game I ever played in." Mickey
hit a solo home run to bring home the first run and made a spectacular running
catch of a Gil Hodges 450-foot bid for extra bases to save the game.
40. How many times was Mickey selected to the
All-Star team?
Mickey was a 20-time American League All-Star. (The baseball All-Star Game was
played twice annually from 1959 to 1962, which explains why Mickey was named
to the team more times than the number of seasons - 18 - than he played.)
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