Willie Mays was the most exciting player of his time, but the most exciting is not always the best.

James Bond films are exciting, but they were not the best films of their era.

Driving a Corvette is exciting, but the Corvette was not the best car of its era.

Willie Mays was exciting, but Willie Mays was not the best player of his era. 

That honor belongs to Mickey Mantle.

Mickey Mantle Had More Pure Talent

Mickey Mantle had more pure talent than anyone who ever played the game, with the exception of Babe Ruth.

Mantle hit the ball farther, ran faster, and stole bases more successfully than anyone who ever played the game.

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His natural talent was so amazing that experienced baseball people who thought they had seen it all were taken aback when they saw Mantle play.

Hall of Fame Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto:

"I never saw anybody hit the ball so hard. When he swings the bat, you just have to stop and watch."

Manager of the 1961 and 1962 World Champion Yankees, Ralph Houk:

"I played with DiMaggio before I played and managed Mickey. Nobody, but nobody, could hit a ball as hard and as far from both sides of the plate as Mickey could. He was just awesome."

St. Louis Cardinals great Marty Marion:

“There’s one thing he can’t do very well. He can’t throw left-handed. When he goes in for that, we’ll have the perfect ballplayer.”

Yankees shortstop Tom Tresh:

"We never thought we could lose as long as Mickey was playing. The point was, we had Mickey and the other team didn't.” 

Mickey Mantle's Uniqueness

When Mickey Mantle trotted out to his position in center field, there was an indefinable uniqueness about him. He possessed a style and grace that was his alone and is possessed by the few who are special.

Teammates, opponents, and fans felt his presence and incomparable talent. He was Mickey Mantle.

Mickey Mantle Batting

When Mantle stepped into the batters box, there was an undercurrent of excitement on the field and in the stands.

Ballplayers stopped what they were doing and watched Mantle take batting practice.

Vendors stopped selling hot dogs and fans stopped drinking their beers.

All eyes, whether it was practice or the game was on the line, focused on Mickey Mantle.

Out of Yankee Stadium?

Each time Mantle stepped to the plate, every fan in the Big Ballpark in the Bronx wondered if this would be the time that a fair ball finally left the Stadium.

That alone made Mantle special, because no one else in the game had the awesome power to actually do it. And yet, in complete juxtaposition, no one would be surprised if he dragged a bunt down the first baseline and beat it out for a hit.

That is what made Mantle so great. No one in the history of the game, and that reads “no one,” combined power and speed like Mickey Charles Mantle.

Unequalled Speed

Batting left handed, Mantle was timed running from the batters’ box to first base in 3.1 seconds. That is inconceivable.

As the years have passed, the time has become 3.5 seconds because broadcasters find it incredulous that Mantle actually did it in 3.1 seconds and so, in order for broadcasters to be believable, the higher time is used.

Three and one tenth seconds has evolved into 3.5 seconds. It still is incredible.

The Great Willie Mays

Willie Mays was almost as fast. Willie Mays was a better base runner than Mantle (or anybody, including Ricky “I am the greatest of all time” Henderson, for that matter).

Mays made more of his speed than Mantle did of his. Mantle had more speed, but he used it only when his team needed it.

The Greatest Switch-Hitter in History

Mantle was one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time. Mantle was one of the greatest left-handed hitters of all time.

He could hit the ball 500 feet as a righty. He could hit the ball 500 feet as a lefty.

“Poor” Willie had to settle on being one of the greatest right handed hitters of all time.

Not bad, but not Mantle.

Statistics

Statistics are nice, but one can present and interpret them so many ways that their meanings and significance may change.

Henry Aaron and Wilie Mays hit more home runs than Mickey Mantle

Rickey Henderson and Lou Brock stole more bases than Mantle.

Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs hit for a higher average than Mickey Mantle, but none of them could combine power and speed better than Mantle.

See Mantle Play

One had to have seen Mantle play to completely understand what it felt like for the fans when Mantle stepped up to the plate.

Remember Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa in September of 1998?

Remember when it was Pete Rose’s turn to bat when he was tied for lifetime hits with Ty Cobb?

Well, those were special occasions that happen once in a lifetime.

Every time Mantle stepped to the plate was a special occasion. It was a thrill that is indescribable and one that will never again be experienced.

(Howdy, Albert Pujols)

References:

Mickey Mantle at the Baseball Page

Baseball Almanac

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