1967 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"One of these days they'll put up a monument in center field for Mickey Mantle, to go along with the others they have out there. Mickey's earned it and what better place to exhibit it but in center field, where his fate was sealed in his rookie year? It was in that sector that he first crippled his knee during the 1951 World Series.
Yet, in spite of the physical handicaps that have plagued him ever since, he has compiled legitimate Hall of Fame credentials in his 16 years as a Yankee. He needs four more homers to reach the 500 mark, and he currently ranks sixth on the all-time home run list. He's been named the A.L.'s MVP three times, and he won the Triple Crown in 1956. Last year, appearing in 103 games, he topped the Yanks with a .288 mark, also belting 23 homers and driving in 56 runs."
-Jack Zanger, Major League Baseball 1967
"After 16 remarkable seasons that already have earned him certain election to the Hall of Fame and a host of honors, Magnificent Mickey Mantle entered on still another phase of his remarkable career this spring.
In an effort to help the Yankees in their rebuilding and to extend his own still great career, Mickey agreed to try the switch to first base. Controversial, challenging and exciting ... the move stirred the sports world. If the experiment succeeds, another amazing chapter in the Mantle story will unfold.
As the 1967 season got underway, Mickey had some significant goals immediately ahead of him. He needed only four home runs to become the sixth man in baseball history to hit 500 home runs. And he needed only 52 games to better Lou Gehrig's long-standing mark of 2,164 games played, most ever by a Yankee.
Three times the A.L.'s Most Valuable Player, winner of the Hickock and Sporting News Player of the Year of awards, Triple Crown winner in 1956, and possessor of scores of other records, at age 35 there well may be more Mantle Marks ahead."
-The New York Yankees Official 1967 Yearbook
MY GREATEST THRILL
"I've had many thrills in this game, and it's tough for me to pick one over the others. But the one I think I remember best is the two-run homer I hit off Barney Schultz of the St. Louis Cardinals on October 10, 1964, in the third game of the World Series. I had made an error earlier, giving the Cardinals the only run of the game going into the last of the ninth. I hit Barney's first pitch, and besides giving us a 2-1 win, it was also my sixteenth homer in World Series competition, breaking the record held for so long by the great Babe Ruth."
-Mickey Mantle, The New York Yankees Official 1967 Yearbook
Signed by Yankee organization on June 13, 1949.
One of ten to hit grand slam home run in World Series game, thereby tying record for most RBIs, one inning (4), October 4, 1953.
Hit three home runs in one game, May 13, 1955.
Led American League in home runs (37), 1955.
Led Majors in slugging percentage (.611), 1955.
Led American League in home runs (52), 1956.
Led Majors in slugging percentage (.705), 1956.
Winner of Hickok Belt as Top Professional Athlete, 1956.
Most Valuable Player in American League, 1956.
Named Major League Player of the Year by The Sporting News, 1956.
Most Valuable Player in American League, 1957.
Led American League in home runs (42), 1958.
Led American League in home runs (40), 1960.
One of four to twice hit two home runs in one World Series game, October 2, 1958 and October 6, 1960.
Shares World Series record for most hits in one game (4), October 8, 1960.
Shares World Series record for most runs scored, seven-game World Series (8), 1960, 1964.
Led Majors in slugging percentage (.687), 1961.
Tied major league record by hitting four home runs in four consecutive at-bats, July 4-6, 1962.
Led Majors in slugging percentage (.605), 1962.
Most Valuable Player in American League, 1962.
Led Yankees in runs scored (92), home runs (35) and RBIs (111), 1964.
18 World Series home runs - a record.
Hit eight homers in six games, June 28- July 3, 1966.
Has hit homers righty and lefty in the same game 10 times, a major league record.
Ranks sixth on all-time home run list (496).
-1967 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
MICKEY MANTLE AIMS AT NEW CLUB RECORDS
"As the 1967 season opened, Mickey Mantle was attempting a whole new career at the age of 35. He was converting to first base ... and the early days of experimentation were fun for the all-time great Yankee.
But even more significant for Mickey and for Yankee fans were the club records Mickey was approaching. He needed only four early season games to pass Yogi Berra in second place in the most number of games played as a Yankee. And Mantle needed only 52 games to pass Lou Gehrig's record of playing 2,164 games in the Yankee pinstripes.
At the start of the season, Mickey had 496 home runs, needing only four to become the sixth player in history reach the coveted 500 mark. Babe Ruth, with the all-time record of 714 homers, was the only Yankee to hit more than Mickey.
What the Mick already has accomplished fills a pretty significant portion of the record book. Foremost among his marks is the feat of hitting 18 World Series home runs, three more than Babe Ruth's previously unapproachable Series record. Mantle was Triple Crown winner in 1956 when he also won the Hickock Pro Athlete of the Year award and the Sporting News Player of the Year designation. Three times, Mickey Mantle has been the American League's Most Valuable Player. And there are still goals ahead!"
-The 1967 New York Yankees Scorecard and Official Program
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