WHY MANTLE & MARIS ARE STILL INTRIGUING TODAY

When I was a kid, my dad told me a story about the 1961 home run race between Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. When he told the story, it was the greatest event of his lifetime, and you could tell. His eyes would get big describing the tension and how Yankee fans took sides. many loved Mickey Mantle and wanted him to win it all because he was a fan favorite before Roger Maris ever put on pinstripes. Others, and there were far less, were rooting for the underdog, Roger Maris to win the crown. Ultimately though, there were many that just didn’t want the Babe to be knocked from the top. After all, 60 home runs in a single season was a huge accomplishment, but to have anyone else do it would almost be unheard of. After all, it was the Babe’s record and it wasn’t meant to be broken.

My dad was an usher at Yankee Stadium starting at 15 years old. He’d hop on a subway alone to get to work in the Bronx everyday for a few years. It was the way it was back then and for my dad, a Yankee fan, it was a dream come true.

The 60’s were an interesting time in the Bronx. The Yankees were still very good, but things went downhill after the 1964 season. He was there for a lot of it and learned from the best at the stadium, his peers, the other ushers. They were men much older than 15 and they’d been ushering since before he was born and probably saw the Babe Ruth play. They taught my dad the tricks of the trade. “Once you get the people to their seat. Stand there for a minute and shake your pocket so the change rattles around in there,” they’d tell him. “The people will HAVE to tip you then.” And they did. Before that tip, he wasn’t making any tips, after that, he was rich, a $10 week was huge.

Not to get off track, but to make my point, it was a simpler time back then, less to watch, less to do, which is why the Mantle and Maris home run race was so exciting in 1961. It was bigger than anything coming out of New York and it spread fast.

Once Mantle started to fall short and Maris started picking up steam, the whole Yankee Universe started to back their new hero collectively. Sure, there were many traditionalists that didn’t think Roger Maris had any business snagging the home run record from the greatest Yankee player of all time, Babe Ruth, but everything happens for a reason, and in that 1961 season, it was time for change.

The home run was deep to right field and Maris’s swing looked like slow motion, but it sailed into the stands and at that moment in 1961, so many emotions ran through people’s minds. Many were sad, but the majority of Yankee fans rejoiced. After all, once it was clear Roger Maris was the guy, you had to respect the feat. Besides, it was another Yankee breaking the record, not a Red Sock...not a Cub… it was Roger Maris, another New York Yankee, not only did the record stay in the family, but it put Roger Maris on the map. Once a quiet kid out of the Indians organization, this kid had a new home, the Bronx, with new fans, all of Yankeeland.

My dad talks about that moment fondly, because the whole summer made sense after that especially after winning the 1961 World Series as well. It’s the Yankee way. After that, there were so many other great moments that just made sense too after that, Bucky Dent’s home run, Aaron Boone, the Derek Jeter flip play,even Jim Abbott’s perfect game and Reggie Jackson cranking out 3 home runs in 1 game in 1977… all Yankee moments through baseball history, all that were supposed to happen to no other team but the a New York Yankees. That's why Derek Jeter finally recorded 3000 hits and that's why Mariano Rivera is now charging closer and closer to the all time Saves record of 601 currently held by Trevor Hoffman. Not because he's Mariano Rivera, but because he is the Great Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees. All of these moments are truly beautiful. It’s tradition that runs so deep, it’s tremendous. And not only that… it’s our Yankees destiny.

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WHY THE NERD SHOW OPENED MY EYES

6 years ago, I was lucky enough to go to a card show and meet 3 very important Yankees. Yes, 2 were much older men, but the other was a new kid on the block. That stuff didn’t really matter though, they were Yankees and played with the greatest and played on the biggest stage. They were Gil McDougald, Bobby Murcer and Chien Ming Wang.

I walked into the auditorium of the event with my wife, who likes to break my balls when it comes to memorabilia collecting. She calls them “Nerd” shows. This isn’t to say that the actual shows are nerd shows, she’s making fun of me for being a nerd. Anyway, that being said, when I saw these athletes live, I turned into a little kid, and dare I say, a nerd… so maybe she’s onto something. Anyway, back to my point.

The first line was a short one. When I saw Gil Mcdougald, he looked nothing like the 1956 baseball card I had of him, but it was the ACTUAL Gil Mcdougald. I had a baseball and when it was my turn, I went up shook his hand and told him while I never saw him play, I thanked him for some great years on the Yankees and appreciated him. He smiled at me and told me he appreciated it. “A lot of youngsters tend to go up to the new guys.” That broke my heart but he laughed it off and signed my baseball. I took a picture and thanked him.

Next we waited on a longer line, but it was worth it, Bobby Murcer was on the end of it. He was healthy at the time, smiling, shaking hands and really just larger than life in my mind. I always liked Murcer and I loved him more in the booth. Just a likable guy. My fondest memory of Bobby Murcer was that home run he hit in the Munson game. I was a kid, but I remember where I was when I saw it and how important it was. I became a fan right then and to meet him now was incredible. When it was my turn, I walked up and shook his hand. I was really nervous. “I love you in the booth Mr. Murcer”, I said. “Thank you” he said. He took my ball, then he grabbed an action shot of him and signed it for me too. “Wow” I thought. We posed for a picture and after alittle more conversation I was on my way.

Then I got on the longest line in the room. At the end of it was Chien Ming Wang. Wow, maybe Gil Mcdougald was right, could it be that a lot of these kids don’t know about the other Yankee Greats of the past?

(In Photo: Bobby Richardson)

When I was a kid, my dad didn’t sit with me teaching about the Yankees of years past, but he would drop a name and a memory,like Bobby Richardson, "he was great for the Yankees," he'd say. Or “Moose” Skowron, "He had some great years for us," he'd say. My dad watched them play and he’d mention them. Me, in turn, would go and read about them, just so I knew who he talking about. When I was old enough, I’d go to card stores and save up to buy a card. If my dad says that guy was good, then he must be good, I thought. And that’s how I did it. Now, waiting on Wang's line, I realized maybe many had forgotten about the others.

I walked up, shook Wang’s hand. The conversation was limited, just a lot of nodding and pictures and signing my baseball and to me, it was exciting, but I have to tell you, at the time, Wang was the new guy and it was definitely a different feeling for me. Yes, he was a Yankee, but he wasn’t yet a Yankee great, the others were.

I tell you this story merely because the Yankee history runs long and deep and has so many incredible players over the years, even not so great ballplayers, but great stories and stats just the same. Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth are the most well known, but what do you know about Wayne Tolleson or Bobby Shantz. How about Matt Nokes or Jim Abbott? (In Photo: Jim Abbott)

Do you remember Bobby Meacham? I do, it was not a good career, but he was a New York Yankee and that means something I think. Check out Baseball Reference and type in a New York Yankee. Everything about them is there, stats and information that you never knew. It's really great. The Yankee history is truly awesome.

I love my New York Yankees and it really doesn’t matter who they are, they were Yankees and to learn about them and the teams they played on is great. Know the players, love them, they were Yankees, members of the greatest team in the world. It’s damn glorious.

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.