Final Round Of Cheers Fond Memories, Admiration Live On As Mantle Dies At 63

Yankee Stadium was a place for tears and tributes Sunday, a place where ballplayers and fans remembered a hero, a place where they could see his past triumphs.

It was a day to remember Mickey Mantle, one of the greatest Yankees and greatest baseball players of all time. He died early Sunday in Texas at the age of 63.

In the tradition-laden stadium, a montage of highlights from Mantle’s career was played on the scoreboard before the game.

There was a moment of silence, flags were flown at half-staff and fans gave Mantle a 2-minute standing ovation before the Yankees played the Indians. Yankees players wore black armbands.

“This is a very emotional day for our organization and fans. I’ll always remember driving into the ballpark this morning and hearing the news,” manager Buck Showalter said.

There were 18 seasons, 12 trips to the World Series, 536 career home runs and a .298 average. There was the famous uniform No. 7 that the 19-year-old Oklahoman wore until the day he retired.

But more than the numbers, there were memories that endeared Mantle to teammates and fans alike. Memories of an earnest, friendly man, memories of a ballplayer who did what seemed impossible in the early 1950s - replacing Joe DiMaggio, memories of the man who saved Don Larsen’s perfect game in the World Series with a great catch in center field.

“Mickey was a country boy who came to the big city and became one of the greatest and most powerful switch-hitters who ever lived. He was the most exciting player since Ruth and DiMaggio, a big-leaguer in every way,” said announcer Mel Allen, who nearly broke down in tears while remembering Mantle.

“I remember when I was 5 or 6 years old, standing in front of the TV set emulating his swing. As Little Leaguers, we all wanted to wear No. 7. Once I got to the Yankees, No. 7 didn’t seem to be available in the minor leagues,” Showalter said.

Bobby Murcer, a teammate of Mantle late in his career, a fellow Oklahoman and now a Yankees announcer, was crying as he stepped to a podium to talk about Mantle.

“Mantle was an idol of mine. He was the greatest player I ever saw play baseball. I don’t think to this day that Mickey realized how much he touched the hearts of fans. We truly lost not only a major-league hero, but a person who portrayed the innocence and honesty that we’d all like to have,” said Murcer, who was signed by the same scout, Tom Greenwade, who acquired Mantle for $1,500 while sitting in a car during a rainstorm after a semipro game.

Stories like the one about Mantle signing - both St. Louis teams had a shot at him but backed down - were heard over and over Sunday.

One of the favorites was about Mantle nearly hitting a ball out of the Stadium - twice.

In 1956, he hit a homer off Pedro Ramos of the Washington Senators that struck the facade hanging from the right-field roof. In 1963, he hit one off Kansas City’s Bill Fischer that struck the facade in almost the same exact spot, except this one was still rising.

There were other long homers, too. A 565-foot shot in Griffith Stadium in Washington in 1953, a shot to dead center in the 1960 World Series at Pittsburgh that was the first by a right-handed batter to clear the 457-foot sign in dead center at Forbes Field, one off the light tower at Comiskey Park, several over the roof at Tiger Stadium, a one-hopper that reached the old bleachers in center at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium.

There were stories about the 1951 season, when Mantle played right field and DiMaggio played center in his last season before retiring. Mantle took over the position the next year and held it until 1966. After that, he played two more years at first base before retiring during spring training in 1969.

More heard than baseball stories, though, were remembrances of Mantle the person. A country kid who never lost his down-home touch, he was described time and again as a genuine nice guy, eager to chat and eager to listen.

“He was not a phony role model, and I think people really identified with that. Mick was never a contrived person, he was a genuine person. He brought a lot of Oklahoma with him to New York, and never really changed. He showed a certain amount of humility and never let the stardom go to his head,” former teammate Tony Kubek said.

“He treated me with a lot of respect. He was always great to me. He meant so much to this organization - an organization that’s had so many great players come through,” Yankees captain Don Mattingly said.

“He was respectful to me even before I got the manager’s job,” Showalter said. “We want all our players to respect those who came before them, and I think Mickey was a big part of that. Part of the whole baseball world passed away.”