Mickey Mantle FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions about Mickey Mantle)

Part Five
(Excerpted from the award-winning DVD, Mickey Mantle: The American Dream Comes To Life^® - The Deluxe Lost Stories Edition - Mickey Mantle tells his own life story (autobiography) on DVD. Click Here to learn more about it. Click Here to see an outline of the contents of the DVD.)

41. Who was Mickey Mantle's favorite player when he was a boy?

The closest team to Mickey's home growing up in Oklahoma was the St. Louis Cardinals. Mickey listened to their games on the radio, and Mickey's idol became Cardinals great Stan "The Man" Musial.

42. Who did Mickey call, "probably the greatest all-round player ever?"

Mickey called Joe DiMaggio, "probably the greatest all-round player ever."

43. Who did The Mick call, "the greatest hitter I ever saw?"

That honor went to Boston's Ted Williams. Williams was famous for his theories on hitting, and once Mickey chatted with him about those theories. Afterward Mickey said he was left so confused he had trouble figuring out what to do.

44. Mickey Mantle banned from baseball? Say it ain't so!

Mickey worked at the Claridge Resort and Casino in Atlantic City as a greeter and community representative. Willie Mays held a similar position at another casino. By the letter of baseball law, any affiliation with gambling is grounds for being placed on the "permanently ineligible" list. (Pete Rose is currently on the permanently ineligible list.) Then Commissioner Bowie Kuhn warned Mickey before he accepted the position that he would have to place him on the list if he went to work there. Kuhn had already taken the same action against Willie Mays. Although he knew the consequences, Mickey accepted the position. He never bore a grudge against Kuhn for it, but he felt the rule was stupid. He spent almost no time in the gaming halls. Most of his activities were representing the Claridge in golf tournaments and other charity events. "I never did so much charity work in my life," was how he put it. When Peter Ueberroth became commissioner one of his first actions was to reinstate both Mantle and Mays. Ueberroth lifted the ban on both players March 18, 1985.

45. When and where did Mickey Mantle die?

Mickey died on August 13, 1995 at Baylor University Hospital in Dallas, Texas, of liver cancer. He was 64 years old.

46. What was The Mick's dying wish?

Just months before Mickey died he received a liver transplant that extended his life, albeit briefly. Mickey was very concerned that people be made aware of the importance of becoming organ donors. To that end, Mickey and his family created the Mickey Mantle Foundation to educate the public about the importance of registering as organ donors.
 

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