He turned out all right

[chugga15]

I love Mickey Mantle. He was an enigma. He was a batter, and he was a ball player. He was the person that we all hoped to be. He gave us joy.

But, Mickey Mantle struggled with life.

We all struggle with life. Many of us struggle in our own way, but Mickey's story is the story of us.



Maybe alcohol is not your vice. Maybe a card addiction is not your vice. Maybe you are completely pure.

[REGGIE206]

I can’t imagine the career numbers he would of had if he treated his body well and didn’t drink alcohol..

Mantle without alcohol = Mike Trout

[COMCMax]

Originally Posted by REGGIE206

I can’t imagine the career numbers he would of had if he treated his body well and didn’t drink alcohol..

Mantle without alcohol = Mike Trout

I wouldn't give Trout that much credit yet. Great video OP. Nice reminder that these sports gods were human just like me and you. I like when asked if he would have been a better baseball player without alcohol and he responded that he would have been a better dad. He passed away a little over a year after he got sober.

[donaldz]

Originally Posted by COMCMax

I wouldn't give Trout that much credit yet. Great video OP. Nice reminder that these sports gods were human just like me and you. I like when asked if he would have been a better baseball player without alcohol and he responded that he would have been a better dad. He passed away a little over a year after he got sober.

In terms of peak performance, they're both essentially the same.

The difference is obviously what the player meant to the public. It's going to be tough for Trout to ever match what Mantle meant to people.

This video is great, and it's nice to know that Bob Costas has always been a bit of a freakin' prick.

[Bhenry4]

What I get from that video is how uncomfortable he is throughout. If you're a father, are those the answers that you'd wanna give at the age he was in the video. Scary.

[TarjetasBéisbol]

Originally Posted by Bhenry4

What I get from that video is how uncomfortable he is throughout. If you're a father, are those the answers that you'd wanna give at the age he was in the video. Scary.

Remorse and regret is something that happens to many people as they age. Sure he was a great player, could have been better if he would have thought about the damage he was doing to his body but the damage he did to his family is irreversible.

[griffan15]

Originally Posted by TarjetasBéisbol

Remorse and regret is something that happens to many people as they age. Sure he was a great player, could have been better if he would have thought about the damage he was doing to his body but the damage he did to his family is irreversible.

I've read many articles/interviews/autobiographies of retired athletes and an overwhelming amount of them have regrets about what they put their families through. Most of them spoke about just the time spent away (missing birthdays, holidays and even school functions) and those are memories that they've missed and just will never have the opportunity to recreate with their loved ones.

Throw in vices like alcohol, drugs and women and it must be hell to reflect on your choices.

[Peties Army]

Originally Posted by griffan15

I've read many articles/interviews/autobiographies of retired athletes and an overwhelming amount of them have regrets about what they put their families through. Most of them spoke about just the time spent away (missing birthdays, holidays and even school functions) and those are memories that they've missed and just will never have the opportunity to recreate with their loved ones.

Throw in vices like alcohol, drugs and women and it must be hell to reflect on your choices.

Sure they missed all that stuff but let’s not be naive that they would change anything. They were out working. It’s not like they were just not around.

I think it’s funny that you say “even School functions” like that is the important one.

[griffan15]

Originally Posted by Peties Army

Sure they missed all that stuff but let’s not be naive that they would change anything. They were out working. It’s not like they were just not around.

I think it’s funny that you say “even School functions” like that is the important one.

I'm just talking about the regrets they have in general and how adding in additional stress takes a toll on them mentally and emotionally. Missing events isn't something they could control, but it still weighed on them. The factors they could control (the vices) weighed on them even more.

[Morgoth]

The documentary "The Other F Word" about punk rock dads is another look at the price of fame to families.

[HOFAutoRookies]

Originally Posted by REGGIE206

Mantle without alcohol = Mike Trout

LOL..

[Peties Army]

Originally Posted by Morgoth

The documentary "The Other F Word" about punk rock dads is another look at the price of fame to families.

That’s a good one but if I remember a lot of those stories had happy endings

[Drdduet]

A retired physician mentor of mine suggested to me that everyone struggles, everyone has a vice or two or twenty, we only differ on how much of a secret we keep them. I'm paraphrasing him of course, but the message is the same.

Mantle may not have been as good without the vices, who knows...but he sure would have been more likely to be healthier.

[awz50]

The dude was a generational talent

[palmetto7]

Mantle was a superstar at 20 in New York. God knows what any of us would have done with our lives had this been us. An American icon, God bless him and his family.