Baseball: Happy 80th birthday, Mickey Mantle

Today, Thursday, would have been Mickey Mantle’s 80th birthday. I’ve written a bunch about the Mick over the years. He was born in Spavinaw, in Mayes County, in 1931. My dad moved to rural Salina, just south of Spavinaw, in 1933. So I’ve always felt a tie to Mantle. 

But rather than me write about Mantle, I decided to let Steve Katz talk about Mantle. I’ve written about Katz before, on the 40-year anniversary of Mantle’s final game. Katz is a native New Yorker who long has loved the Great American Hero. Here’s what he wrote me today:

“I know in Oklahoma it must be common knowledge to most everyone that today Mickey Mantle would have celebrated his 80th birthday. Maybe if the Yankees would have made it to the World Series this year, there might be more awareness here in New York.

“His true fans know he was born October 20, 1931 in Spavinaw, OK. We can still see him trotting out to centerfield, with that special gait of his. We can still see that powerful swing of his and we watched in awe as balls left the park like no one before or since, could hit them. We miss you Mick, almost as much as we miss our childhood. To me, the Mick and baseball were my childhood. My late father, Monroe Katz was a major scout and not only taught me the game, but how he felt about it and what it meant to him, naturally made me fall in love with it. And to watch Mickey Mantle play for the New York Yankees in my own backyard while growing up is something I’ll never forget and cherish forever. Happy Birthday number 7.

“Sincerely, Steve Katz”

Miss you almost as much as our childhood. That’s powerful

“I know in Oklahoma it must be common knowledge to most everyone that today Mickey Mantle would have celebrated his 80th birthday. Maybe if the Yankees would have made it to the World Series this year, there might be more awareness here in New York. His true fans know he was born October 20, 1931 in Spavinaw, OK. We can still see him trotting out to centerfield, with that special gait of his. We can still see that powerful swing of his and we watched in awe as balls left the park like no one before or since, could hit them. We miss you Mick, almost as much as we miss our childhood. To me, the Mick and baseball were my childhood. My late father, Monroe Katz was a major scout and not only taught me the game, but how he felt about it and what it meant to him, naturally made me fall in love with it. And to watch Mickey Mantle play for the New York Yankees in my own backyard while growing up is something I’ll never forget and cherish forever. Happy Birthday number 7.