Mickey Mantle was a superstar and a great athlete. In about his second year with the Yankees, he was chasing a fly ball in the outfield and injured his leg. He never fully recovered. Had he not had this injury only God Knows what he would have done. Probably would have beaten Babe Ruth's record. I can still remember, it was about 1959, my Dad was watching a baseball game on a little black and white set. The Yankees were playing.
Back then, there were only 2 baseball games on tv every week, only on a Saturday or Sunday. Hard to imagine compared to last year, when there were about 58 games a week to watch on DirecTv. I was watching with my Dad and Mickey Mantle came up to bat. My Dad told me "He can hit right handed or left handed he is the greatest player in the game." Then, Mickey hit a home run.
I have read stories of Mickey, he was a wild ass Oklahoma farm boy in the Big City, he partied seriously every night. All the girls wanted to bang him, and he turned very few down. All the bartenders gave him free drinks. I mean, he died of liver failure. I have read stories where he came to the park so hung over he could barely walk. Manager put him in to pinch hit and he hit a home run.
Imagine what he could have accomplished have not been an alcoholic.
