Mantle Might Have Been Better Than He Thought
The perception of Mickey Mantle’s career as one of what-could-have-been, if not for his injuries and abuse, does not do him justice. His most serious knee injury occurred during his rookie season of 1951, yet Mantle’s three best years were in 1956, 1957 and--a full decade later--1961. In all, he played more games than Rogers Hornsby, Duke Snider or Ted Williams and more games as a Yankee than anyone else.
Contrary to what he and most others have said, Mickey Mantle was every bit as good as Joe DiMaggio and Willie Mays. At his peak, he was better.
No apologies need be made for what Mickey Mantle could have been. What he was was awesome--at his glorious best, perhaps the greatest postwar ballplayer of them all.
JEFF ANDERSON, Upland
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It’s no accident that Ty Cobb, who was a far greater player than Mickey Mantle, had two people from baseball show up at his funeral and Mantle’s service had to be held in two stages and was telecast nationally.
I think Cobb and Mantle both struggled with their lives, but Mickey Mantle won the struggle and Ty Cobb lost.
RICHARD ALVAREZ, Baldwin Park
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