MICKEY MANTLE RETIRES

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1875

YANKEE SLUGGER RETIRED 47 YEARS AGO TODAY

New York City (JFK+50) Major League baseball players are starting a new season of spring training today, but forty-seven years ago, one of the greatest sluggers in the game, Mickey Mantle*, announced his retirement.

"The Mick," who made his debut for the New York Yankees in right field in 1951, dominated the American League for more than a decade.  In 1956, he won the Triple Crown for the highest batting average, most home runs and most runs-batted-in.

Mickey Mantle was an ALL STAR for sixteen seasons, three times MOST VALUABLE PLAYER in the American League, and winner of one GOLD GLOVE.
He played in 12 WORLD SERIES winning 7 CHAMPIONSHIPS.  MM holds the record for the most WS home runs (18), RBIS (40), EXTRA BASE HITS (26), HRs (42), WALKS (40) and TOTAL BASES (123).

In a career lasting from 1951-1968, Mickey Mantle had a .298 BATTING AVERAGE, 2415 HITS, 536 HRs, and 1509 RBIs.  Along with Babe Ruth and Lou Gerhig, Mickey Mantle is considered one of the greatest Yankees of all time.

*Mickey Charles Mantle (1931-1995) was born in Spavinaw, growing up in Commerce, Oklahoma.  The NY Yankees signed him to a minor league contract in 1949.  MM played his first season with the Independence Yankees.

In 1951, Mickey was sent up to the NY Yankees where he played right field and wore #6.  Manager Casey Stengel said Mantle had "more natural power" as a switch hitter..."than anybody (he) ever saw."

In 1952, MM was moved over to center field replacing Joe DiMaggio and wore #7.  After retirement, he was honored with a "Mickey Mantle Day" at Yankee Stadium, June 8, 1969.  MCM was admitted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, and died at the age of 63 in Dallas, TX.

Hall of Fame Plaque

Mickey Charles Mantle

Baseball Hall of Fame

Photo by Beyond My Ken (2012)

DEATH OF THE MICK

MICKEY MANTLE DIED 20 YEARS AGO TODAY

Dallas, Texas (JFK+50) Mickey Mantle*, former center fielder for the champion New York Yankees baseball club, died at Baylor University Hospital twenty years ago today, August 13, 1995, of complications of liver cancer.

The switch-hitting Mantle wore number 7 and played center field most of his career.  Mickey was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame on the 1st ballot in 1974.

In an interview with Bob Costas being telecast today on MLB Network, Mickey's son David Mantle says...

"Being around him...you see...the fans, how they react when they...saw him...some...said he was a god...from Mt. Olympus..."

JFK+50 NOTE:

Long before JFK came to my attention, Mickey Mantle was my hero.  We became NY Yankee fans and watched MM play on national television whenever possible.  

*Mickey Charles Mantle (1931-1995) was born in Spavinaw, OK & named for Mickey Cochrane, a Hall of Fame baseball player.  His family moved to Commerce OK where he attended Commerce High School and became an all star athlete.

MM was offered a football scholarship at the University of Oklahoma but turned that down to sign a baseball contract with the NY Yankees.  He made his ML debut on April 17, 1951.

At his retirement in 1968, MM had a career batting average of .298, 2415 hits, 536 home runs and 1509 rbis.  He retired with 20 All-Star Game appearances, 7 world championships, 3 American League MVP awards, 1 Triple Crown & 1 Golden Glove award.

SOURCE

"Yankees great Mickey Mantle to be commemorated by MLB Network on 20th anniversary of his death," by Anthony McCarron, New York Daily News, August 13, 2015, www.nydailynews.com/

Mickey Mantle Plaque

Baseball Hall of Fame

Cooperstown, NY

Photo by Beyond My Ken (2012)

Mickey Mantle Hits 500th Home Run

BERLIN WALL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

East Berlin, Germany (JFK+50) The government of communist East Germany announced 54 years ago today, August 13, 1961, that a wall was being constructed in order to permanently divide the eastern and western parts of Berlin.

East German guards were posted to stop anyone from crossing the border. While the wall was under construction, barbed wire was used to separate the two parts of the city.

JFK at the Berlin Wall

June 26, 1963

Photo by Robert Knudsen

JFK Library Photo

REAGAN SIGNS ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT 

Santa Barbara, California (JFK+50) President Ronald Reagan signed into law 34 years ago today, August 13, 1981, the Economic Recovery Tax Act.  The act provided for a 25% reduction in individual marginal tax rates phased in over a 3 year period.  The ERTA combined with a 1986 tax cut reduced marginal tax rates on higher income taxpayers from 70 to 30%.

President and Mrs. Reagan

January 20, 1981

National Archives Photo

WALL DIVIDING BERLIN UNDER CONSTRUCTION

August 13, 1961


WALL DIVIDING BERLIN UNDER CONSTRUCTION


West Berlin, West Germany (JFK+50) The government of communist East Germany announced today that a wall is under construction designed to permanently divide the eastern & western parts of Berlin.


East German guards have been posted to stop anyone from crossing the border.


While the wall is under construction, barbed wire is being used to separate the two parts of the city.


*When completed, the Berlin Wall will stretch for 27 miles in Berlin & 97 miles along the 3 western sections of West Germany.

             JFK at the Berlin Wall
                    June 26, 1963
         Photo by Robert Knudsen
              JFK Library Photo


August 13, 1962


JFK SIGNS WORK HOURS STANDARDS ACT


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy signed the Work Hours Standards Act of 1962 in the oval office at the White House today.


The act, which replaces a series of 8 hour work day laws dating back of 1892, establishes a 40 hour work week.


August 13, 1981


REAGAN SIGNS ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT


Santa Barbara, California (JFK+50) President Ronald Reagan signed into law today, here at his ranch, the Economic Recovery Tax Act.


The ERTA includes a 25% reduction in individual marginal tax rates phased in over a 3 year period.*


*The ERTA combined with a 1986 tax cut reduced marginal tax rates on higher income taxpayers from 70 to 30%.

                President & Mrs. Reagan
                        January 20, 1981
                National Archives Photo


August 13, 1995


"THE MICK" DIES OF CANCER AT BAYLOR


Dallas, Texas (JFK+50) Former New York Yankee slugger, Mickey Mantle, died at Baylor University Hospital today of liver cancer.


Mantle, who wore #7 & played center field most of his career, was born in Oklahoma in 1931.


He joined the Yankees in 1951 at the age of 19 & retired in 1968.


Mickey Mantle was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Roger Maris & Mickey Mantle (1961)


August 13, 1952


"HOUND DOG" RECORDED BY BIG MAMA THORNTON


Los Angeles, California (JFK+50) Rhythm & Blues artist Ellie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton recorded the tune "Hound Dog" here today.


Miss Thornton, a native of Montgomery, Alabama, made the 1st recording of the song written specifically for her by Jerry Lieber & Mike Stoller.*


*Elvis Presley's version of "Hound Dog", recorded in 1956, is based on a rewritten version by Freddie Bell & the Bellboys who Elvis saw perform in Las Vegas.


August 13, 1940


BATTLE OF BRITAIN BEGINS


London, England (JFK+50) The Battle of Britain began today when the German Luftwaffe began bombing raids on southern England.


The raids were aimed at destroying British radar stations in preparations for an amphibious attack across the English Channel.


Of 1500 German aircraft that took place in today's air attack, 45 were shot down.


The good news is that the Germans were only successful in destroying one radar station on the Isle of Wright.


August 13, 1926


FIDEL CASTRO BORN IN CUBA


Oriente Province, Cuba (JFK+50) Fidel Castro was born here today, the son of a Spanish immigrant who made a fortune building a rail system to transport sugar cane.*


*Castro's forces took control in Cuba on January 1, 1959.  Under his direction, Cuba became the 1st communist nation in the western hemisphere.  He stayed in power until he stepped down in February 2008.

                           Fidel Castro
                 September 29, 1974
                Otto Bettman Photo