Cobb vs. Wagner

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

I Didn't See Cobb, Wagner Play, but Did See Mantle

Buck O'Neill is a very astute observer of the game and has lived a long time
so he has seen a lot of BB players in his life. So, if he says Mantle could
have been the greatest, I definitely agree with Buck.

Now, I am older than most on this Forum, and I was fortunate to see Mantle
play from 1951 to 1969. As, a die-hard Yankee fan I followed his career very
closely during my youth. So, I guess you could consider me biased. I also got
to see Joe DiMaggio & Ted Williams play. We went to Yankee Stadium a lot back
in the late '40s and throughout the '50s. Playing in the American League back
then and Yankee Stadium, was not an advantage for Mantle in those years. With
the likes of Bob Feller, Lemon, Garcia, Wynn, and Herb Score (and so many more
great pitchers in the League), Mantle faced some tough pitching. And its need-
less to bring up the huge dimensions of the old Yankee Stadium, as most are
aware of its size. Of course it did not matter to Mantle, since he would hit
them 500+ feet, anyhow.

Yes, he became a "happy go lucky" guy as part of the Yankee "BRAT PACK" with
Whitey Ford and Billy Martin. And, we'll never know how this affected his BB
playing years. Nevertheless, in a clutch situation during regular season play
he raised the level of his game. And, especially effective during World Series
play as his numbers testify:
....18 HRs (a HR per 7.8 ABs)....Runs = 42....RBIs = 40....in 12 W.S. seasons

I'll end this by answering the age old Trivia quiz...."Who was greater....
Mickey, Willie, or the Duke ?

My answer actually comes back with a question....they were all equally great,
However, whose "SHOES" did Willie or the Duke step into ?

Mantle stepped into DiMaggio's shoes and most people do not realize how really
tough that can be. I still recall how the fans used to boo Mantle his first
year with the Yankees. It wasn't till 1952, that the fans started liking him.

Think about my answer to this Trivia Quiz....the only other BB player that
was able to step into a "legend's shoes" in recent times that I can recall is
Carl Yazstremski.