Posted By:
identify7
Who was Mantle? Ted Z. says check his post season record to prove sumpthin' Ahhh ... here it is: .257 batting average. Wait, maybe Ted Z. is an ally!
Oh, I know. He once hit a ball 565 feet (in the air).
What did his peers do? Aaron = 755 HRs, Mays = 660. Mantle had to surrender his .300+ batting average to catch Foxx.
He was a fast runner until he got hurt - which unfortunately was just about right away.
But Mays led off each All Star game (for reasons other than his 660 HRs). And although it was never reported that he hit a ball 565', he did disappoint Vic Wertz in 1954.
Like I say, if Mantle's legs were better .... but they were'nt. If Score didn't get hit, but he did. If Williams didn't have to serve .... but he did. "Ifs" are for long cold nights and deep bottles.
The facts are the facts. It is all black and white. Oh yes, you can try to confuse the issue with statistical parlor tricks, but Who hit the HRS, who got the RBIs, who hit for the higher average, who stole the bases, fielded like he owned the outfield, and was dependable - Monte Irvin.
Edited to add:
Campanella and Berra.