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The Last Hero: The Life of Mickey Mantle
Portrays the life and career of the legendary baseball star, from his childhood in the mining towns of Oklahoma through his rise to baseball fame, and finally his tragic death from cancer.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 23, 2020
It's World Series time again! This year (2020) because of COVID-19, the baseball season was shortened, games were played without fans, and there was a different playoff system at the end of the season. The Los Angeles Dodgers are playing the Tampa Bay Rays in the series and as of this date, 10/23/20, the series is tied 1-1. Honestly, because of the shortened season and COVID, I really didn't follow baseball much this year, however, I have been making it a tradition to read something about baseball during the series every year. This year I decided to read this biography of one of my boyhood heroes, Mickey Mantle.
When I was growing up in the late 50s and early 60s, baseball was really the only game that mattered as far as pro sports. I remember some of my best friends in the neighborhood started collecting baseball cards so of course I did as well. This was in 1960 and I still have some of the cards from that year. So was I a Yankee fan? Hell no! The Yankees dominated the sport during the 50s winning seven world championships from 1949 to 1958. And the star of the Yankees during that period was Mickey Mantle who won MVPs in 1956 and 1957 and again in 1962. He also won the Triple Crown (most home runs, best batting average, and most RBIs) in 1956. And so yes, I did admire Mantle with his boyish manners and good looks even though he played for the dreaded Yankees. At that time I was a fan of the Milwaukee Braves who defeated the Yankees in the World Series of 1957. And then the Pittsburgh Pirates beat them in 1960 so I switched allegiances to the Pirates. But deep down, I always admired Mickey Mantle I think more than my favorite Braves players, Hank Aaron and Eddie Matthews and one of my prized possessions was Mantle's 1960 baseball card (unfortunately I must have traded this away).
I also remember watching "Home Run Derby" back in 1960. This was a weekly show that pitted two home run sluggers against each other. I discovered that these episodes are currently on YouTube and watched the first episode that had Mantle against Willie Mays. Mantle came from behind to beat Mays in the last inning. Very nostalgic!
As far as THE LAST HERO, I really enjoyed this in-depth look at the life of Mickey Mantle. Mantle was born in 1931 in rural Oklahoma. His father along with his grandfather and uncles worked in the zinc mines there and had little hope of a good life or future. But his father, Mutt, and grandfather were also baseball fans. Mickey was actually named after Mickey Cochrane, a Hall of Fame catcher who played for the Athletics and Tigers. Mutt dreamed of a better life for Mickey that would keep him out of the mines. Luckily, Mickey had the build and desire to be a ballplayer and signed with the Yankees in 1951 eventually taking over for Joe DiMaggio in center field. Mickey worked hard at his profession and when he retired his home run total was third of all time. He also held the all-time World Series home run mark. But his career was plagued by injury and he was known for his after hours drinking and womanizing. Many thought that this was because his father and his uncles did not live past age 41 and Mickey thought he would not make it past his 40s. However, he did make it into his 60s but his career was cut short by his many injuries and the abuse he heaped on his body from drinking. He died in 1995 at age 63 of liver cancer.
This book really hit home for me. Even though Mantle was envied by many, he had a very hard life. He played through injuries and was often in pain. His best friends on the team were Billy Martin and Whitey Ford who often went out drinking with him. He later went to the Betty Ford clinic to get sober but by that time it was too late. He often wasn't a nice guy and could be very vulgar and abusive to fans. Joe DiMaggio didn't really like Mantle and had nothing good to say about him. But in the end, he is still considered one of the all-time greats!
When I was growing up in the late 50s and early 60s, baseball was really the only game that mattered as far as pro sports. I remember some of my best friends in the neighborhood started collecting baseball cards so of course I did as well. This was in 1960 and I still have some of the cards from that year. So was I a Yankee fan? Hell no! The Yankees dominated the sport during the 50s winning seven world championships from 1949 to 1958. And the star of the Yankees during that period was Mickey Mantle who won MVPs in 1956 and 1957 and again in 1962. He also won the Triple Crown (most home runs, best batting average, and most RBIs) in 1956. And so yes, I did admire Mantle with his boyish manners and good looks even though he played for the dreaded Yankees. At that time I was a fan of the Milwaukee Braves who defeated the Yankees in the World Series of 1957. And then the Pittsburgh Pirates beat them in 1960 so I switched allegiances to the Pirates. But deep down, I always admired Mickey Mantle I think more than my favorite Braves players, Hank Aaron and Eddie Matthews and one of my prized possessions was Mantle's 1960 baseball card (unfortunately I must have traded this away).
I also remember watching "Home Run Derby" back in 1960. This was a weekly show that pitted two home run sluggers against each other. I discovered that these episodes are currently on YouTube and watched the first episode that had Mantle against Willie Mays. Mantle came from behind to beat Mays in the last inning. Very nostalgic!
As far as THE LAST HERO, I really enjoyed this in-depth look at the life of Mickey Mantle. Mantle was born in 1931 in rural Oklahoma. His father along with his grandfather and uncles worked in the zinc mines there and had little hope of a good life or future. But his father, Mutt, and grandfather were also baseball fans. Mickey was actually named after Mickey Cochrane, a Hall of Fame catcher who played for the Athletics and Tigers. Mutt dreamed of a better life for Mickey that would keep him out of the mines. Luckily, Mickey had the build and desire to be a ballplayer and signed with the Yankees in 1951 eventually taking over for Joe DiMaggio in center field. Mickey worked hard at his profession and when he retired his home run total was third of all time. He also held the all-time World Series home run mark. But his career was plagued by injury and he was known for his after hours drinking and womanizing. Many thought that this was because his father and his uncles did not live past age 41 and Mickey thought he would not make it past his 40s. However, he did make it into his 60s but his career was cut short by his many injuries and the abuse he heaped on his body from drinking. He died in 1995 at age 63 of liver cancer.
This book really hit home for me. Even though Mantle was envied by many, he had a very hard life. He played through injuries and was often in pain. His best friends on the team were Billy Martin and Whitey Ford who often went out drinking with him. He later went to the Betty Ford clinic to get sober but by that time it was too late. He often wasn't a nice guy and could be very vulgar and abusive to fans. Joe DiMaggio didn't really like Mantle and had nothing good to say about him. But in the end, he is still considered one of the all-time greats!
April 16, 2014
Well written and concise, tells the familiar story of Mantle's rise and fall with none of the sentimentality of the later biographers.
December 31, 2016
In 1931, a young man by the name of Mickey Charles Mantle was born in rural Oklahoma. Mantle as a young boy worked in a coal mine with his dad. Later in his high school career Mickey excelled at many sports, basketball, football, and of course baseball. Mantle was offered a scholarship to play football at the University of Oklahoma, but his sophomore year Mantle developed a disease called osteomyelitis. It would cripple his left ankle. A baseball career was still there, so Mantle would sign a contract with the New York Yankees, where he would begin an amazing career and have to end it bitter pain. Mantle would lead the Yankees to ten American League (AL) pennants, and seven World Series titles. He was a twenty time All-Star and a three time AL Most Valuable Player (MVP). Mickey Mantle was not the best man around he would be know as a alcoholic and a womanizer, and he paid little attention to his wife and five sons. His personal life was far from perfect, he wasn't as successful with his family as he was on the baseball field. Mantle was inducted into the Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Fame in 1974, the New York Yankees retired his number 7 in 1969. Mickey retired from baseball on March 1, 1969, which is known as "Mickey Mantle Day" in New York. Mickey Charles Mantle died on August 13, 1995 due to liver cancer, caused by his drinking habits, he was 63.
December 21, 2012
Just finished this last night ... Where the last book I read (bio on JDiMaggio) left me kind of depressed, there's hope in the last chapter of this book that, on his deathbed, Mantle recognized how he had wasted his life and received Christ as his Savior. While not knowing if the author is a believer or not, I found it interesting that this sliver of Mantle's life (albeit for the Christian, the most important part) was included. This is a must read for any baseball fan!
April 16, 2014
Powerful look at a flawed and all-too-human hero.
July 26, 2015
Mickey Mantle has been a hero of mine since I was 9. I would have liked this book if Donald Duck wrote it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews