Mantle vs Mays....Runs Produced Index

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Posted By: Andrew Parks

My estimations that Mantle was faster is based on watching a taped copy of Game 7 of the 1952 World Series. Mantle hit a sharp grounder to first base. It was one of the routine grounders to first base where the first baseman picks it up and jogs three or four steps and touches first base while the batter-runner barely makes it into the frame of your TV in the lower part coming down the line.

HOWEVER, as I watching, out of nowhere comes Mantle. I swear he was two steps from beating out the grounder. I have been watching baseball for years and you see that play quite often: grounder to first, first unassisted, runner barely gets into the view of frame as the fielder retires him. NEVER - NEVER have I EVER seen any runner get down to the line that fast and get to the point where Mantle was when Hodges touched the bag to retire him.

I was watching this in my living room and rewound it five or six times. It was absoultely jaw-dropping. I knew at that point that the 3.12 time home to first and the stories that Mantle was the fastest ever were true.

It was absolutely unreal! I simply can not envision another man being that fast playing at the same time.