Mantle Reality

[lowpopper]

I was not around. However, my father who grew up in the Bronx, talked about
him with god-like status throughout my childhood. This is a man who hasn't
missed a Yankee game on TV/radio since Stengel was manager. Needless to say, I
wore number 7 for all my little league teams. 1995 was the first time I saw my dad cry.

[Bestdj777]

Wasn't alive. My mom is a huge Yankee fan, so she got me started with her stories of her childhood baseball card collection.

[Marchillo]

I was born in the late 70’s, from Boston, loving the Red Sox and hating the Yankees. Yet when I got back into the hobby a couple years ago the first cards I chased where Mantle cards. Starting acquiring them before Ted Williams cards. At this point I have all the Mantle base Topps cards from 56-69 and Ted 54-58 and I’d still go after a 53 Topps Mantle before a similarly priced Ted Williams 54 Bowman or Play Ball card (minus the rookie card).

I don’t seem to have a bias against teams I root against when collecting. I’m primarily a hof collector and hof trumps team affiliation. For whatever reason Mantle is the iconic player to collect and I wanted in.

[mr2686]

My first two years of playing/learning about baseball was Mantle's last two years playing. Even in his twilight, only a shadow of his glory years, even a young kid could see that he was something special, and that every time he came up to bat, anything could happen. Later, with the internet and the ability to see and purchase old film of games, my understanding and appreciation of his abilities grew. I believe, several years from now, somebody on this board will be looking back at when they were a young kid and saying the same thing about Mike Trout.

[ALR-bishop]

I collect Mantle only insofar as I collect sets in which he appears. Grew up a Cardinals fan. Was fortunate to attend the 64 World Series and so did see him play in person. It was memorable for me because the Cards won, and sad because Musial had retired after the 1963 season.

One of my favorite Topps cards is the 1965 card (134 I think) purporting to show Mantle hitting a "clutch" home run but " in reality" shows him missing on a Gibson fast ball.

[bnorth]

I never seen him play because I was born the year after he stopped playing. I have never collected him because he is by far the most over rated player in the history of sports. His cards/memorabilia are also the most overpriced stuff in the hobby.

I equate Mantle to PSA, far from the best but for some insane reason people pay the most for them. Marketing is some amazing stuff.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I never seen him play because I was born the year after he stopped playing. I have never collected him because he is by far the most over rated player in the history of sports. His cards/memorabilia are also the most overpriced stuff in the hobby.

I equate Mantle to PSA, far from the best but for some insane reason people pay the most for them. Marketing is some amazing stuff.

When you consider all the walks, his numbers are pretty damn good. Bill James ranked him 6th all time. Plus he was the perfect storm: 50s in New York, Yankees, white, switch-hitter, the power/speed thing, the overcoming injuries thing, and all that duende.

[mickey7mantle7]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I never seen him play because I was born the year after he stopped playing. I have never collected him because he is by far the most over rated player in the history of sports. His cards/memorabilia are also the most overpriced stuff in the hobby.

I equate Mantle to PSA, far from the best but for some insane reason people pay the most for them. Marketing is some amazing stuff.

Boooooo!!!!!

[MattyC]

Never saw him play. Neither did my brother or cousins.

We all collect him with great passion.

And much like Bryce Harper's dad, I have already passed along the legend of Mantle to my son. In fact he is presently urging me to sell my CJ Shoeless and Cobb to make another bid on a key Mantle piece. Problem is that still won't help, LOL!

With Mantle, it is about way more than stats. The sum is greater than the parts.

[commishbob]

My first memories of him come from watching the '57 Series with my Mom and grandfather. My Dad took me to Yankee Stadium almost weekly beginning in 1960 so I saw him play often.

And I can say with first-hand knowledge that there was an obsession with Mantle cards back then. I recall discussions in my North Jersey schoolyard about how Topps wasn't distributing Mantle cards in our neighborhood stores to encourage more pack buying.

[GasHouseGang]

I was nine years old the last year he played, but since he didn't play against the Cardinals, I don't remember seeing him in a game. I'm sure he was on TV and I just don't have any memory of watching him and the Yankees play. They were probably on some Saturday "Game Of The Week" or something but those memories are hazy.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Mantle's OBP and OPS were higher than Mays. Same SLG. Only a 4 point difference in BA.

[mickey7mantle7]

I was born in 78

I wasn't that fortunate to have seen him play or even recollect a time i should have went to a signing.

I really started to collect Mantle around 2008 when i re-entered the hobby. I was stationed in Alaska at the time and it pretty much helped me get through that 3 year tour. My baseball guy growing up was Ryno.

When i started back up again (wanted to collect an icon) so i basically picked him and the rest is history. I've read and have seen almost anything he's been in or on. I guess what led me more into him was his history with alcohol and what not. Growing up with an alcoholic father i could relate to his story and past.

Call it weird or what not.


Cool thread. Nothing like seeing these sorts of threads about a great guy.

PS: cool stories so far from everyone who has shared.

[jchcollins]

I started collecting cards at age 9 in 1986. At the time in the hobby, Mantle was the single most popular thing on the planet, despite the fact that he had already been retired for nearly 2 decades. Kids of my generation knew way more about Mickey Mantle than they did Babe Ruth, I can tell you that much. My first Mantle card was his '58 with Hank Aaron, which I picked up at a shop no doubt with my mother's help along about '88. I will agree as others have said, there is something unique about him and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I think it has to do with the fact that Mantle, unlike any other player - existed at the absolute climax of baseball, time and place in history - New York city in the 1950's. Had he been a Cleveland Indian in 1945 or a New York Met in the 1970's, I think we would view him today much as we do any other superstar. For kids everywhere 60 years ago, and doubly so for kids in random areas of the south or the midwest where there was as of yet no major league baseball - Mantle was the guy you followed. I will agree that the hype and prices for his cards and other memorabilia is disproportionate in comparison to others of his generation, but the intangible is part of that magic.