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It's a summer day in 1960; the Brooklyn streets are quiet except for the chatter of Churchgoers on Humboldt Street as they are exiting St. Francis of Paola Sunday Services. It's a little after 1 o'clock and we have just arrived at my Grandmothers for our traditional Sunday dinner. It's the typical Italian gathering of relatives, uncles, aunts and cousins and the men, as usual, are raising glasses to acknowledge each other's arrivals. It doesn't take long for the conversation to drift towards baseball. It's been a few years now since O'Malley took the beloved Dodgers to "La La Land" and my father and his brother in laws are still seething from the blow. The talk slowly starts to drift towards the Yankees, one Yankee in particular named Mickey Charles Mantle. In those
days speaking well about a Yankee in Brooklyn could, and
often did, result in fisticuffs. However considering this
was a family gathering that was not going to be the problem.
As a 4 year old kid I would often listen to my Dad and
uncles talk baseball, but this time all I could remember was
them speaking with such enthusiasm about the heroics of this
guy Mickey Mantle. I thought what a great name Mickey as my
name was Mike and that was like Mickey, but not quite.
However, the seed was planted and I liked this Mantle guy
sight unseen.
What I remember about the '62 season was actually the last out of the 7th game against the Giants. Ralph Terry facing McCovey, men on second and third with two out, and then seeing Bobby Richardson snag a bullet. Yanks are Champs!!! I ran to the
window and yelled to all the guys that the Yanks had won,
and then I thought, "How come they're not watching the
game"? At that moment I realized that I was different from
the other guys…. I was a diehard Yankees fan at age 6.
I was 8 in 1964 and the Yanks were in the World Series again, this time against the Cards. I liked the Cards because of their uniforms, but this was the Series and I knew whom I was rooting for. It was game 3 and the Yanks had Jim Bouton on the mound with the series tied at 1 game apiece. Bouton pitched great losing his hat after almost every pitch and the game was deadlocked at 1-1 until the ninth. Barney Schultz was pitching for the Cards now relieving Simmons who had started. Schultz was a knuckleballer and his pitches would waft through the air and mesmerize the hitters. Mantle stepped up to the plate and I just knew something good was going to happen and Bang!! There it went into the Bronx afternoon, as Mickey rounded the bases I knew we were going to win this series and I imitated his head-down-trot around the bases and was jumping up and down just as the rest of the team was waiting for him at the plate. However this Series would again be lost but not because of Mickey, he had 3 homers and broke Ruth's record for homers in World Series competition finishing with 18. What a feat! I thought Mickey's better then Babe Ruth. Wow! I was like any other inner city kid, a Spaulding in one hand and a Pennsy Pinky in the other, looking for the guys to get a game together. In Brooklyn because of the limited fields, games like slap ball and punch ball were created because they could be played in the street. Strike Boxes were drawn on factory walls and colored in with chalk so there would be no mistaken balls and strikes. This was the stick ball game I grew up with and I would announce every player as they came to bat and recreate each stance to best of my ability. The entire game was a play-by-play and often the games would last 'till dinnertime and my mom or dad would have to retrieve me from the schoolyard. I'd come home and with limited light, I'd take my rubber ball and play stoop ball until my father told me it was time to go to bed. I'd wake up and the whole process started over. You see in my neighborhood it was more important to be "ALL SCHOOLYARD" then "All City". I would achieve both. When I
became old enough to play in the little leagues my father
enrolled me in a Tee Shirt league for 7-8 year olds. There
were 6 teams: The Yanks, Tigers, Mets, Dodgers, Reds, and
Giants. I was placed on the Dodgers and cried because I
wanted to be on the Yankees but after a hot dog and a talk
with Dad, I was persuaded to join. However I did not go
easily and explained to my father that I had to have #7 on
my Tee Shirt. Dad explained that no numbers were on any of
the kid's shirts but I persisted and we went to Grand St.
and bought a felt #7. Mom ironed it on and I was set to go.
Soon afterward at the age of 9, I joined another league
where 9-10-11-12 year olds played. The day we went for the
uniforms I asked for #7 but because I was the smallest kid
on the team I got #1. Not bad I thought, Bobby Richardson.
Cool!!
The next several years the Yanks were horrible and I lived through the Ruben Amaro, Dick Schofield, Charlie Smith and Horace Clarke Yankees. The Mick was sill there, but he was a shell of his former self. Of course I would never admit that to anybody, especially my Dad, who as I said before respected Mantle but never shed his Dodger Blue. Everything came to a close on Mickey Mantle Day. It was a sunny Sunday and I think we were playing the White Sox but I can't swear to it. We didn't have tickets but my Dad scalped two obstructed view seats down the right field line and I stood on my seat the entire ceremony. I remember welling with tears as my heart pounded in my chest with pride for my hero. I can still get goose bumps thinking about that day. Mickey being escorted around Yankee Stadium in the golf cart waving in his blue suit and looking every bit the "Blond Bomber." For me, it was only the beginning as I was 12 and really excelling in baseball. All those games in the schoolyard and by my stoop were finally paying dividends. I went to Catholic School and when the nuns would ask the kids what they wanted to be. I never blinked, I wanted to be a "Baseball player." Entering High School in 1970, I followed that dream and although my ultimate goal was never attained it wasn't for lack of trying. I played on 2 CHSAA all-star teams and was twice voted "All City" I even pitched in Yankee Stadium during one of the games. I played against John Candelaria, Lee Mazzilli, Willie Randolph and Pete Falcone. I even had a tryout with the Royals who ran a camp back in the 70's. I think Frank White was the only player ever to make it from there. I honed my skills at The Parade Grounds of Prospect Park where most of my games were played and to anyone who doesn't know what The Sandlots were like, I will sum it up in two words "Astro Dirt" believe me it was no joke fielding grounders. Although, a few Eastern Schools recruited me, my lack of discipline when it came to books proved my undoing. However it never stopped me from playing. I played in Spanish Leagues and visited many Latin Countries playing baseball. I played for money and became what the folks in Brooklyn call a "Ringer". I was a gun for hire so to speak and loved every moment of it. While I was
enjoying myself playing everywhere and anywhere, Mickey was
finally getting "paid". He became a novelty and every
company executive wanted to play golf or have a drink or
dinner with Mantle. Mickey's autograph was worth big bucks
as Baseball Card shows became huge and nobody was in more
demand then Mantle. Mays may have had the better career and
we can still argue over who was better, but when it came to
who the fans wanted it was no contest. Mickey had the
personality and became the toast of the autograph
circuit.
Looking
back, he was everything I thought he would be and
more... |
How ya' doin? Best sites on 'da 'net! New York Yankees Mighty Yanks The Bombers NY Yankees Fast Facts: Betcha' didn't know was the A.L. Strikeout Champion in 1933, 1934 and 1937. He also won the A.L. Pitching Triple Crown in '34 and '37. Roger Maris In his first game in Yankee pinstripes, he singled, doubled, and hit 2 home runs. "In the building I live in on Park Avenue there are ten people who could buy the Yankees, but none of them could hit the ball out of Yankee Stadium." Reggie Jackson Trivia: The interlocking "NY" logo made its first appearance on the uniforms of the New York Highlanders in 1909. Who designed the symbol and why? Answer In Next Issue Have a trivia question? Email it to us and maybe we'll use it in an upcoming issue. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the brave men and women of our armed forces currently engaged in the conflicts overseas. Thank you for your service to our country and the world. God Bless You. |
