-
Micky Mantle was born in Oklahoma. Courtesy photo
When most folks hear the name Mickey Mantle, baseball is the next thing that comes to mind. What many people don’t know is he was born in Oklahoma.
MickeyMantlewasbornin Spavinaw,Oklah.onOctober 20, 1931, one year after the town was officially incorporated. Spavinaw is located in the Cherokee Nation and has a rich history that is fitting for such an MVP in baseball. Mantle and his family later moved to Commerce, Okla. where he attended school. It seemed that early on Mantle’s father saw the potential the kid had and pushed him hard to play baseball.Heeventrainedhim to be a switch hitter batting left or right-handed.
Shortly after high school, Mantle went from being an Oklahoma boy to being a straight up Yankee. Mantle signed on with the New York Yankeesin1951,primarilyas a center fielder. This extreme change in geography must have been the wind beneath hiswingsasMantleescalated in the 1951 World Series.
Mantle seemed to be plagued with injuries, in high school, he was kicked in the shin and developed Osteomyelitis. Then, he hurt his knee in the 1951 World Series and other injuries followed.
Early on, Mantle was considered one of the greatest offensive threats in baseball history. This is easy to conceive as he became the only player to hit 150 home runs doing so both left and righthanded. Mantle also hit 536 career home runs batting 300 and sometimes more a total of ten times.
Mantle’s career improved as he played in twelve World Series and won seven. In 1956, Mantle won the Triple Crown. Mantle has a list of accolades a mile long and it is easy to find the records in the world of baseball.
Mantle never really left his Oklahoma roots and showed his love for fellow Oklahomans after the Oklahoma City bombing. He joined forces to raise a great deal of funding for victims.
Mantle did some sports commentating after he retired from baseball, and he also went into the steak house business. Oklahoma City is still home to his world-famousMickeyMantle Steakhouse, a place where celebrities often visit. The restaurant has won many awards.
Mantle was often the center of controversy. He was an alcoholic, and it damaged his family life. In later years, Mantle realized what a life of self indulgence could inflict upon his family, and he publicly apologized for the damage he caused. Mantle became a Christian later on in life and spent his last years tending to personal matters that he often overlooked on his way to the top. Mantle passed away in Dallas, Texas on December 20, 2000, at the young age of 47.