New York Yankees Mount Rushmore
By David Hill
Mickey Mantle (1951-1968)
As great as Mickey Mantle was, the New York Yankees center fielder could have been even greater.
Considered one of the best center fielders in the history of the game, Mantle battled injuries throughout his career. In fact, in his 18 years, he only appeared in 150 or more games four times. Of those four seasons, he led the league in home runs three times, and was the runner up to Roger Maris in his historic 1961 campaign.
Yet, even with his injury woes, and battles with osteomylitis, Mantle remained a star throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s. Although his batting skills faded in his mid 30s, Mantle was still a feared power hitter. He was a 20 time All Star, due to the fact that multiple All Star Games were played for a time, and a three time MVP. In 1956, Mantle won the Triple Crown, the only year he would lead the league in either batting average or RBI.
Mantle was thought of as one of the top all around talents in the game during his prime. Overall, the Yankees star produced a .298/.421/.557 batting line, hitting 536 homers and 344 doubles. Mantle drove in 1509 runs and scored 1676 times, leading the league in runs five times. Although he had only 153 steals, his speed was obvious on the basepaths.
Mickey Mantle is considered to be one of the best players in the history of the game. Just imagine what his career would have been like if he stayed healthy.