The Legend of the Mick: 100 Great Mickey Mantle Stories

by Jonathan Weeks

In the 1950s, America entered the television age. And Mickey Mantle, a country boy from Commerce, Oklahoma, was made for the moment. Signed by the New York Yankees as a teenager, he made his major league debut in 1951 as a right fielder alongside Joe DiMaggio. When DiMaggio retired at the end of the season, Mantle inherited not only Joltin’ Joe’s position in centerfield but also his stature as the face of the franchise. His boyish good looks, breathtaking power from both sides of the plate, and blazing speed on the basepaths made him an instant superstar. He won league MVP three times, came in second three times, was a 16-time All-Star, a Triple Crown winner in 1956, and a seven-time World Series champion.

Mickey Mantle’s career was the stuff of legend and in this book, Jonathan Weeks tells us why. Mantle’s extraordinary (and at times incredible) tales carry readers on an enthralling journey through the life of one of the most celebrated sports figures of the twentieth century. All of the most popular anecdotes (such as the Mantle’s mammoth blasts, which led to the phrase “Tape Measure Home Runs”) are thoroughly covered along with many lesser-known narratives. The book is divided into two sections. In Part One, Mantle’s life and career are recounted chronologically. Part Two contains assorted stand-alone anecdotes in shorter form. Appendices include statistics, a chronology, and salary details among other bits of pertinent information.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2023

About the author

Weeks spent most of his life in the Capital District region of New York State. He earned a degree in psychology from SUNY Albany. In 2004, he migrated to Malone, NY. He continues to gripe about the frigid winter temperatures to the present day. He has published several books on the topic of baseball. He would have loved to play professionally, but lacked the talent. He still can't hit a curve ball or lay off the high heat. In the winter months, he moonlights as a hockey fan.

Reviews

[Bob Lamberti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book to read on a recent airplane trip, and it suited that purpose very well. A light read, especially the the second half of the book which was a collection of short on and off-field vignettes. In total, it seemed to give a better insight into the off-field side. This was probably a good result since there have been so many books published that focus more on his on- field exploits, which are legendary. If you only want to read one book about an Amerucan icon this may not be it, but it is a good one to read to help you understand the man a little bit better Therein lies the legend, a flawed man who had unheard of baseball ability coupled with movie star good looks, and a nonstop string of unfortunate injuries that to this day leaves everyone asking "what if".