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Mickey Mantle

Too Little, Too Late

After he was released from the clinic, Mantle seemed ready to make amends for the wrongs in his life. He appeared before the press as an optimistic man, and he told People that "…all those years I lived the life of somebody I didn't know. A cartoon character. From now on Mickey Mantle is going to be a real person. I still can't remember much of the last ten years … but I'm looking forward to the memories I'll have in the next ten."

Yet it was too late to make amends. On June 8, 1995, Mantle underwent a liver transplant to replace the one he had done so much damage to. Beset by cancer, hepatitis, and cirrhosis, the transplant was a success, but the cancer had spread beyond his liver to most of his internal organs. On August 13th, to the shock of much of the American public, Mantle died.

Career Statistics

Yr	Team	AVG	GP	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	E
NYY: New York Yankees.
1951	NYY	.267	96	341	61	91	13	65	43	74	8	6
1952	NYY	.311	142	549	94	171	23	87	75	111	4	14
1953	NYY	.295	127	461	105	136	21	92	79	90	8	6
1954	NYY	.300	146	543	129	163	27	102	102	107	5	9
1955	NYY	.306	147	517	121	158	37	99	113	97	8	2
1956	NYY	.353	150	533	132	188	52	130	112	99	10	4
1957	NYY	.365	144	474	121	173	34	94	146	75	16	7
1958	NYY	.304	150	519	127	158	42	97	129	120	18	8
1959	NYY	.285	144	541	104	154	31	75	93	126	21	2
1960	NYY	.275	153	527	110	145	40	94	111	125	14	3
1961	NYY	.317	153	514	132	163	54	128	126	112	12	6
1962	NYY	.321	123	377	96	121	30	89	122	78	9	5
1963	NYY	.314	65	172	40	54	15	35	40	32	2	1
1964	NYY	.303	143	465	92	141	35	111	99	102	6	5
1965	NYY	.255	122	361	44	92	19	46	73	76	4	6
1966	NYY	.288	108	333	40	96	23	56	57	76	1	0
1967	NYY	.245	144	440	63	108	22	55	107	113	1	8
1968	NYY	.237	144	435	57	103	18	54	106	97	6	15
TOTAL		.298	2401	8102	1677	2415	536	1509	1733	1710	153	107

The contribution of Mickey Mantle to the game of baseball, and the memories he gave fans of the game, are without equal. Many would argue that he was one of the greatest baseball players ever, and undoubtedly, one of the best of his generation.

Additional topics

Famous Sports StarsBaseballMickey Mantle Biography - Growing Up, The Early Years, Chronology, The Powerful Star Is Born, Tragic Hero? - Semi-Pro During High School, SELECTED WRITINGS BY MANTLE: