Mickey Mantle: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1974

Born: October 20, 1931

1931: Named after Mickey Cochrane

1930s-40s: Taught to switch-hit by father

1947: Osteomyelitis infection nearly ended his athletic career

1948-9: Semi-pro ball

1949: Signed with New York Yankees

1949-50: Minor Leagues

1950-3: Korean War deferral due to Osteomyelitis in 1947

Debut: April 17, 1951 (Yankees)

1951: Slumped early on, returned to minors, and father shamed him into staying in baseball

1951: Father, Mutt Mantle, dies

1951: Injured his right knee in outfield drain during World Series; Joe DiMaggio is often blamed for the injury because DiMaggio called Mantle off at the last minute.

1951-3: Yankees win World Series

1952: Took over CF for retired Joe DiMaggio

1953: Hit 565 foot HR in Washington

1955: Yankees win Pennant

1956: Mantle wins Triple Crown (.353, 52, 130)

1956: AL MVP

1956: Yankees win World Series

1957: .365, 34 HR, 94RBI, 1.177 OPS, 146 walks

1957: AL MVP

1957: Yankees win Pennant

1958: Yankees win World Series

1960: Hit 643 foot HR in Detroit

1960: Yankees win Pennant

1961: Mantle challenges Babe Ruth’s 60 HR. Roger Maris breaks the record with 61.

1961: Mantle suffers an injury that limits his playing time at the end of the year

1961: .317, 54 HR, 128 RBI, 1.135 OPS

1961-2: Yankees win World Series

1963-4: Yankees win Pennant

1964: Mantle hits GW walk off HR in Game 3 breaking Babe Ruth’s World Series HR record

1965-8: Injuries limited Mantle’s effectiveness

1969: Retired

1969: Yankees retired his #7 and given a plaque in Yankee Stadium

Post career: Did some announcing

1980s: Became regular on card circuit

1983: Banned for life for working at an Atlantic City Casino

1985: Reinstated

1985: Wrote The Mick

1992: Wrote My Favorite Summer 1956

1995: Died

1997: Topps retired #7 card

1999: All Century Team

2006: Received USPS stamp

Accomplishments:

7x World Champion

3x MVP

20x All Star

1956 Triple Crown

1956 Batting Champ (.353)

1962 Gold Glove

1965 Hutch Award

3.1 seconds from home to first is a record never broken

Longest official home run: 565 feet

Most WS HR (18)

Most WS RBI (40)

.298 average

1676 runs

2415 hits

536 HR

1509 RBI

.421 OBP

.557 Slugging

.977 OPS

4511 TB

Led league in HR: 4x

Led league in runs: 5x

Led league in triples (11): 1955

Led league in RBI (130): 1956

Led league in walks: 5x

Led league in OBP: 3x

Led league in slugging: 4x

Led league in OPS: 6x

Led league in TB: 3x

Led league in IBB: 2x

100+ Runs: 9x

37 doubles (1952)

10+ triples: 2x

100+ RBI: 4x

21 SB (1959)

100+ Walks: 10x

1733 walks-1710 strikeouts

Hit .300+: 9x

Hit .350+: 2x

.400 OBP: 9x

.512 OBP (1957)

.500 slugging: 12x

.600 slugging: 6x

.705 slugging (1956)

1.000+ OPS: 8x

300+ TB: 5x

Postseason: .257, 18 HR, 40 RBI, .908 OPS (12 World Series)