During the mid-1980s, some New York Yankees games were televised locally on Sportschannel, which was available only on cable. In 1985, Mickey Mantle joined announcers Mel Allen, Phil Rizzuto and Bill White.
On occasion, Mantle also did a pre-game analysis of the upcoming game. Marino Amoruso videotaped many of the programs, either at the ballpark or in a hotel suite. What struck Amoruso was that Mickey felt uncomfortable being a baseball hero and an American Icon.
Mantle considered himself no better or worse than anyone else. In his eyes, he had been a regular guy doing his job. It was just that his “job” was scrutinized more.
Tom Molito, whose business association with Mantle grew into a lifelong friendship which is chronicled in an upcoming book, Mickey Mantle and the Eyeballers, confirms Amoruso’s feelings about Mickey.
Tom writes “When my wife Kathleen and I double dated with Mickey and Greer (Johnson), I would never have thought that Mickey was a celebrity if it weren’t for all the people that kept “eyeballing” him. He was my friend who happened to be Mickey Mantle, not Mickey Mantle the baseball great that was my friend.”
Mantle was the first major sports figure to become a media star. It wasn’t until the late 1940s and early 1950s that most homes had televisions. WPIX in New York televised 77 Yankees home games. Mantle’s games were often the Game of the Week on national television and the nation usually watched the Yankees win the World Series, all of which helped Mantle become a national hero.
Many Americans linked Mantle, who came into his own in 1956 when he won the Triple Crown, with Elvis Presley, who became a national star that year.
When he was a broadcaster, Mantle liked to eat out, which caused problems. He paid the price since it often took him almost one hour to walk one block in Manhattan.
After his meal, Mantle was mobbed when he walked out the door, usually by businessmen. According to Molito and Amoruso, Mickey was extremely patient, kind and accommodating. He rarely refused to answer inane questions or to give a snappy response.
Mickey explained.
“I always sign as many autographs as I can,” he said. “I have never charged anyone for an autograph like some players do today. I don’t think that’s right. I may go to a card show or something and I’ll charge the promoter a fee for my appearance, but never a fan – especially the kids.”
Even as long ago as 1985, some players stood at home plate after they hit a home run to admire it. It irked Mickey greatly.
“You know what I really can’t stand?” he said. “I hate it today when a player hits a home run and stands there and admires it. Or he starts jumping around and makes a big deal of it when he runs around the bases. I think that’s bush league. I’m not one of those old guys who says that we were better than the players today. I think today’s players are incredible. I just can’t stand the showboating and hot dogging.”
Imagine how he would feel in 2011.
It became a joke, but when he first said it, Mickey was serious.
“I always gave it everything I had when I was out there on the field. I think that not taking care of myself as I should have really came into play with all my injuries,” he once told reporters.
“I never followed the workout routines the doctors gave me to rehab from injuries. That’s where it really took its toll. I guess if I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself.”
Mickey Mantle left a legacy of courage, both on the field and when he finally recognized his drinking problem. He faced his demons without any self-pity. He pleaded with others to avoid his mistakes. Mickey finally realized how the American people felt about him and he tried to use those feelings to help others.
On the day of Mantle’s funeral, the Dallas Morning News ran a cartoon that summed up his last months with us.
St. Peter and Mickey were standing at the entrance to heaven. St. Peter has his arm around Mickey’s shoulders. He says, “Kid, that was the most courageous ninth inning I’ve ever seen.”