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Mickey and Willie: Mantle and Mays, the Parallel Lives of Baseball's Golden Age
Acclaimed sportswriter Allen Barra exposes the uncanny parallels--and lifelong friendship--between two of the greatest baseball players ever to take the field. Culturally, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays were light-years apart. Yet they were nearly the same age and almost the same size, and they came to New York at the same time. They possessed virtually the same talents and played the same position. They were both products of generations of baseball-playing families, for whom the game was the only escape from a lifetime of brutal manual labor. Both were nearly crushed by the weight of the outsized expectations placed on them, first by their families and later by America. Both lived secret lives far different from those their fans knew. What their fans also didn't know was that the two men shared a close personal friendship--and that each was the only man who could truly understand the other's experience.
498 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2012
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June 29, 2023
When I think of who is the best athlete, or at least team player, of all time, there are only two in my lifetime who merit a place on sports’ Mount Rushmore. Those who have read my reviews long enough probably know who they are. I have said many times that I feel I was born a generation too late to be a sports fan. While I have enjoyed my moments and have experienced quite a few memorable ones, nothing seems to compare to baseball’s golden age, the period after World War II up until 1970. So many of the all time greats played then and I would have loved to be in the stands for just one of those games or be one of the lucky kids to get an autograph without having to wait in line at a card show or pay a fortune. Sadly, I came of age when I knew the all time greats from books and Ken Burns’ baseball, which came out the year baseball was on strike. The best I could do was purchase a book entitled Baseball’s Golden Age, which I still have, and spend hours mesmerized by the photos. I also remember a cd entitled baseball’s greatest hits. Besides my favorite “Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball,” the song that stood out paying homage to New York as the capital of baseball was none other than “Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.” The song writer still could not determine who the best of the three was but noted wistfully that those were the days.
The best reference I have: my dad. While favoring the Cubs, he was privileged to see all the national league greats who were among the league’s best during the 1950s and got all their autographs multiple times. He could tick off all the stars who came through Wrigley, and by far his favorite teams to watch were the Braves and Giants with all their future hall of famers. Shaking Willie Mays’ or Hank Aaron’s hand after a game was a regular occurrence. I would just gape in awe knowing how I would react if I ever got to meet a genuine superstar. His crowning moment came at the 1962 all star game at Wrigley Field. He and some friends got day of game tickets to sit in the bleachers and oh did they relish the moment. Before the game, a photographer got their picture in the newspaper because most urban newspapers ran two editions for many years. The newspaper was a person’s main source of news. Sitting in centerfield, my dad and his buddies got to be in a photo of team captains Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle shaking hands before the game. Sadly we don’t have a copy although it’s my life goal to obtain one, but it’s this image I think of whenever I think of these two stars, a year when they were both at the top of their game and would both lead their teams to the World Series. Which of these two gifted centerfielders was the best there was? In his uniquely styled dual biography, Allen Barra set out to answer that very question.
Willie Mays, who my dad a national league guy who detested the Yankees says was the best (Ernie Banks not included), and Mickey Mantle were both born in 1931 to similar backgrounds. Willie is still with us today, baseball’s oldest living legend, whereas Mickey succumbed to a myriad of diseases nearly thirty years ago. Mays came from Fairfield, Alabama, his father a steel mill worker; Mantle from rural Commerce, Oklahoma, his father toiling in the zinc mines. Both fathers realized early on that their sons displayed extraordinary skill on the ball field. Both men realized that this skill would be their sons’ ticket away from the mills and mines. Both sons lived up to the hype at an early age, Willie joining the Birmingham Black Barons while he was still in high school and Mickey joining Barnett’s Barnstormers and then signing with the Yankees the day after he graduated high school. Willie joined the Giants because they and the Dodgers were the only teams willing to sign more than one black player, the American League other than Cleveland lagging behind in terms of integration. By 1951, at age nineteen, both young men would be in the majors, Mantle demoted and returning and Mays to stay. They would emerge as the best in New York, creating the city alongside the Dodgers as the capital of baseball until the two national league teams moved west following the 1957 season.
Most of what Barra writes I already knew, including home runs, the 1954 catch, Mantle breaking the Dodgers hearts in the World Series too many times, and the heated 1965 California version of a Giants vs Dodgers pennant chase. These were the defining moments of the era, but no biographer had ever compared the legends with each other. Mantle played in DiMaggio’s shadow for his entire career. He was never quite good enough for the press although he amassed better numbers. DiMaggio had his 56 game hitting streak; Mantle never achieved a signature moment that most stars create to define their careers by. He also played hurt, was cold toward the press and fans, and enjoyed a double life carousing with women and teammates for hours after games, turning into an alcoholic in the process. Mays did not drink. His biggest vice was pool. Because he lived such an insular life, civil rights had less of a meaning to him than it did to other black stars. Yet, Mays was the first black team star joining the Giants in 1951 before basketball and football had gotten a foothold on society. Black kids looked up to him, but, other than playing stick ball in the streets of Harlem and encouraging black kids to play baseball well after his career ended, Willie Mays did not speak out for civil rights all that much. What he did was have two years of his career taken away by the army, returning in 1954 to perfect a basket style catch and play with his distinct flair for the game, usually losing his cap in the process. His catch, that defining moment, in the 1954 World Series would vault him into the discussion of who is the best there is, him or Mantle.
Barra notes that he was a Mays fan because his father loved Mays although thought that maybe Mantle was better. After reading about both careers it is a tough call. Mays hit more home runs but played in more games. He also had to carry weaker teams because Mantle’s Yankees traded for and signed entire teams of stars even in the 1950s. Mantle has seven World Series rings to Mays one playing on these superior teams. Barra argues that Mays lost the two years to the army and Mantle lost the equivalent of seasons to injuries. Had either played in half of those games healthy, one if not both of them could have broken Babe Ruth’s record before Hank Aaron. Barra if of the belief that it probably would have been Mays, losing those two years at the beginning of his career when he could have easily hit the homers to make up the difference. Of course, all this is speculation and fans will have to debate the Mays/Aaron/Mantle question for generations to come. It is this discussion of who the best of all time is what places sports in a unique place in society that still makes Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays relevant years after either played in a game that counted.
Mickey and Willie would forever be linked by their rivalry, home runs, and good natured ribbing off the field, whether in commercials, barn storming tours, or the golf course. Both were asked many times who they thought was better, and neither wanted to concede anything to the other, while also attempting to remain humble. Even after running numbers, Barra states a case for both players; it is just too close to call and comes down to personal memories or preference. If that is the case, as a national league fan I will have to side with team Willie, only because he is still alive to regale us with his tales of playing during the golden age of baseball. It is these oral histories of former ball players and storytellers like Barra and regular fans like my dad that preserve baseball as the pastime as it is. As to who was better, perhaps it is a ball player yet to be born who will one day add his name to the discussion.
4 stars
The best reference I have: my dad. While favoring the Cubs, he was privileged to see all the national league greats who were among the league’s best during the 1950s and got all their autographs multiple times. He could tick off all the stars who came through Wrigley, and by far his favorite teams to watch were the Braves and Giants with all their future hall of famers. Shaking Willie Mays’ or Hank Aaron’s hand after a game was a regular occurrence. I would just gape in awe knowing how I would react if I ever got to meet a genuine superstar. His crowning moment came at the 1962 all star game at Wrigley Field. He and some friends got day of game tickets to sit in the bleachers and oh did they relish the moment. Before the game, a photographer got their picture in the newspaper because most urban newspapers ran two editions for many years. The newspaper was a person’s main source of news. Sitting in centerfield, my dad and his buddies got to be in a photo of team captains Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle shaking hands before the game. Sadly we don’t have a copy although it’s my life goal to obtain one, but it’s this image I think of whenever I think of these two stars, a year when they were both at the top of their game and would both lead their teams to the World Series. Which of these two gifted centerfielders was the best there was? In his uniquely styled dual biography, Allen Barra set out to answer that very question.
Willie Mays, who my dad a national league guy who detested the Yankees says was the best (Ernie Banks not included), and Mickey Mantle were both born in 1931 to similar backgrounds. Willie is still with us today, baseball’s oldest living legend, whereas Mickey succumbed to a myriad of diseases nearly thirty years ago. Mays came from Fairfield, Alabama, his father a steel mill worker; Mantle from rural Commerce, Oklahoma, his father toiling in the zinc mines. Both fathers realized early on that their sons displayed extraordinary skill on the ball field. Both men realized that this skill would be their sons’ ticket away from the mills and mines. Both sons lived up to the hype at an early age, Willie joining the Birmingham Black Barons while he was still in high school and Mickey joining Barnett’s Barnstormers and then signing with the Yankees the day after he graduated high school. Willie joined the Giants because they and the Dodgers were the only teams willing to sign more than one black player, the American League other than Cleveland lagging behind in terms of integration. By 1951, at age nineteen, both young men would be in the majors, Mantle demoted and returning and Mays to stay. They would emerge as the best in New York, creating the city alongside the Dodgers as the capital of baseball until the two national league teams moved west following the 1957 season.
Most of what Barra writes I already knew, including home runs, the 1954 catch, Mantle breaking the Dodgers hearts in the World Series too many times, and the heated 1965 California version of a Giants vs Dodgers pennant chase. These were the defining moments of the era, but no biographer had ever compared the legends with each other. Mantle played in DiMaggio’s shadow for his entire career. He was never quite good enough for the press although he amassed better numbers. DiMaggio had his 56 game hitting streak; Mantle never achieved a signature moment that most stars create to define their careers by. He also played hurt, was cold toward the press and fans, and enjoyed a double life carousing with women and teammates for hours after games, turning into an alcoholic in the process. Mays did not drink. His biggest vice was pool. Because he lived such an insular life, civil rights had less of a meaning to him than it did to other black stars. Yet, Mays was the first black team star joining the Giants in 1951 before basketball and football had gotten a foothold on society. Black kids looked up to him, but, other than playing stick ball in the streets of Harlem and encouraging black kids to play baseball well after his career ended, Willie Mays did not speak out for civil rights all that much. What he did was have two years of his career taken away by the army, returning in 1954 to perfect a basket style catch and play with his distinct flair for the game, usually losing his cap in the process. His catch, that defining moment, in the 1954 World Series would vault him into the discussion of who is the best there is, him or Mantle.
Barra notes that he was a Mays fan because his father loved Mays although thought that maybe Mantle was better. After reading about both careers it is a tough call. Mays hit more home runs but played in more games. He also had to carry weaker teams because Mantle’s Yankees traded for and signed entire teams of stars even in the 1950s. Mantle has seven World Series rings to Mays one playing on these superior teams. Barra argues that Mays lost the two years to the army and Mantle lost the equivalent of seasons to injuries. Had either played in half of those games healthy, one if not both of them could have broken Babe Ruth’s record before Hank Aaron. Barra if of the belief that it probably would have been Mays, losing those two years at the beginning of his career when he could have easily hit the homers to make up the difference. Of course, all this is speculation and fans will have to debate the Mays/Aaron/Mantle question for generations to come. It is this discussion of who the best of all time is what places sports in a unique place in society that still makes Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays relevant years after either played in a game that counted.
Mickey and Willie would forever be linked by their rivalry, home runs, and good natured ribbing off the field, whether in commercials, barn storming tours, or the golf course. Both were asked many times who they thought was better, and neither wanted to concede anything to the other, while also attempting to remain humble. Even after running numbers, Barra states a case for both players; it is just too close to call and comes down to personal memories or preference. If that is the case, as a national league fan I will have to side with team Willie, only because he is still alive to regale us with his tales of playing during the golden age of baseball. It is these oral histories of former ball players and storytellers like Barra and regular fans like my dad that preserve baseball as the pastime as it is. As to who was better, perhaps it is a ball player yet to be born who will one day add his name to the discussion.
4 stars
March 22, 2013
There have been many bios written about Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle but Allen Barra, the author of this one had a great idea ; since the two were so often compared why not write a bio about the both of them, comparing their upbringings, their playing careers, and their retirement years ? These were two of baseballs most iconic payers, heroes to millions of boys growing up during the 50ies and 60ies and it becomes very clear early in this book that Barra was one of those boys. So it came as no surprise reading about the amazing accomplishments they both performed on the field and while it's also clear that while on some level , Barra still views both Mickey and Willie as heroes, both these men had a serious dark side and Barra pulls no punches in discussing and exploring these flaws. It's a well researched book and I admire the work Barra put into but I have to admit to finding it a quite depressing read. That being said, I'd still recommend it to any fan of baseball. It is definitely a tale worth reading
November 4, 2014
Before I review "Mickey and Willie" I feel it's necessary to give some feedback so you know where I'm coming from. Firstly, I've always believed--in my opinion--Willie Mays is the greatest all-around player in history. (My opinion--not looking to start a debate.) Secondly: I am a Mets fan and therefore it's my duty to hate the Yankees! LOL That being said, however, there are certain Yankees that ya just gotta love: Jeter, Mariano, Reggie, Yogi. And Yes, of course, THE MICK!
I looked fwd to reading this book. While I know a good deal about both Mickey and Willie, I hoped to learn even more. However, while there were some enjoyable tidbits, I could have learned the same information with some online research. This book started out enjoyable but quickly turned into the author's one man crusade to lambast Willie Mays.
Early on, I was sure this book would be 5 stars. The more I read, it dropped. 4 stars. 3 stars. 2. Toward the end, this book was outright pi**ing me off. So angered I skimmed the last 8-10 pages.
There were some interesting tidbits. I enjoyed learning little things I had never known (how Willie got his name, the fact that Mickey first wore #6.)
However, this book quickly turned into nothing but a slam on Willie Mays.
It is fairly obvious that the author is a Yankee fan. If things didn't end well for the Yankees (the 1961 World Series, for example), the author quickly makes excuses.
Yes, we hold athletes up as heroes, idols, especially in the day when Mickey and Willie played. They were flawless faultless GODS. Of course, that's not true. No one is perfect, ballplayers included. And this naturally holds true to Mays and Mantle. However, the author clearly holds these men to a double standard. Mickey's numerous issues--excessive drinking, alcoholism, womanizing, skirt chasing, being bad with money, infidelity--is all summed up nice and neat by alluding to the fact that Mickey was simply a `country boy' from Oklahoma, thrown into the media spotlight of NY, forced to live up to the hype of being the next Joe DiMaggio. Sure, Mickey messed up--but it wasn't his fault. He was a naïve country boy living in the big city.
However, Willie Mays is criticized, scrutinized, condemned and crucified for every little thing he did. The double standard was appalling and disgusting. Mickey's actions are explained away and excused: Willie gets ripped a new one for his.
In one scene, the author is telling about Willie's acceptance speech into the HOF. The author goes so far as to quote excerpts from the speech and then put in parenthesis why what Willie was saying was wrong.
Per the author, Willie had an easy go out of it. Mickey battled for everything he got. Willie was "coddled" by the Giants, Mickey was "taken advantage of" by the Yankees. Mickey was pushed by Yankee managers (Casey, Yogi, Ralph Houk) to always do better. Giants managers all had to "kiss Willie's a**." Mickey left baseball not overly wealthy cause he gave away his money to friends--he was an easy target and people took advantage of him. Willie left the game without much money---well, simply cause he spent too much. Mickey constantly played hurt. Willie sat out with "mysterious illnesses."
At one point, Mr, Barra even ridicules Willie Mays for who he dedicated his autobiography to: Why didn't he dedicate to his father? Why didn't he dedicate to his coach? And so on...
I consider myself a very well informed Baseball fan. Yet, I've never heard or read ANYWHERE some of the things in this book elsewhere. Willie Mays was rude to reporters, cold, moody, mean to fans, refused to sign autographs. Willie was booed and hated in San Francisco.
Willie comes off not as the man who played Baseball with a childlike enthusiasm but rather as "a bitter old man even when he was 30." Mays resents everyone and everything around him--from teammates to the city of San Francisco to reporters to managers to family. Supposedly, he even hated Hank Aaron when it became clear Aaron would break Ruth's record and not Willie. Per the author, Mays once called Aaron, "a dumb ni**er." Willie also comes off resentful of Mickey's baseball cards and memorabilia selling for more than his own.
Willie Mays is represented as a combination of the WORST of every hated ballplayer to ever play: He's Pete Rose-Ty Cobb-Barry Bonds-Roger Clemens-Raffy Palmeiro all rolled into one.
As Willie gets older and his stats obviously decline, the author seems to rejoice in Willie's deteriorating numbers. (I could almost picture the author cackling with an evil snicker.) Yet, on the flipside, when the author talks about Mickey's declining numbers as his career wound down, Mr. Barra does not hesitate to justify it by citing Mickey's age and history of injuries. It's as if: Mickey's number declined cause the poor ol' country boy drank too much and didn't take care of himself. Aww, shucks. Willie's numbers declined: GOOD!
Another aspect of this book that I found annoying was the author lambasting Willie over and over and over and over for not speaking out more during the Civil Rights struggle in the 1960;s. Yes, retired Jackie Robinson did. As well as other athletes--Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali and Curt Flood. However, 99.9% of black Ballplayers during the 60's also did not speak out against racism: Did Hank Aaron? Reggie Jackson? Frank Robinson? Bob Gibson? Willie Davis? Vide Blue? Maury Wills? Lou Brock? Willie McCovey? And so on? No, they didn't. Yet the author constantly ridicules, scorns and disparages Mays for doing the same thing practically every other player did.
There are also numerous factual errors as well as bad journalism: 1) The author claims that the Brooklyn Dodgers won the 1st 2 games of the 1955 World Series. Incorrect--the Yankees did 2) The author goes on a rant about Maury Wills winning the MVP (1962?) 3) The author mentions a game Willie Mays played in against the Houston Colts. They were NOT the Houston Colts but rather the Colt 45's (later renamed the Astros). 4) The author turns this into an op-ed piece and not a novel. He consistently questions MVP selection, saying it's appalling Mays and mantle did not win more. Well, any true Baseball fan realizes what an MVP award truly is. Right or wrong, the award does NOT go to the best player but the most VALUABLE player. 5) The author makes no mention of Duke Snider. Yes, this novel is about Mantle and Mays but how in the world can you discuss 1950's Baseball in New York and fail to mention The Duke along with Willie and Mickey. 6) The author, throughout the book, will make reference to things Willie did (he didn't show up to a certain function, he was never close to his adopted son, etc..) The author writes, 'Why Willie did that was never explained.' Well, Mr. Barra, if you're writing a book about Willie Mays shouldn't it be your job as the author to find out the reason why? 7) Toward the end the author insinuates that Commerce< OK (Mickey's birthplace) and Fairfield, AL (Willie's birthplace) are almost gone from the map, ghost towns. The author mentions that in 2010, the population of Commerce was barely over 2000. Well, quick research will show that 90 years ago, in 1920, the population was only 2600! So, really, the town has not nearly dried up. The population has only dwindled by roughly 400 people in almost a century
One more point: I wanted to read about Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Yet, for some reason, Mr. Barra continually threw in things about himself, shameless little plugs on other books he's written. When Mickey Mantle died, I want to know about it: where, why, who was at his bedside, did he suffer, last words, local reaction, etc... Instead, we get told about Mickey's passing from the author's personal point of view" I was on my way to interview Herschel Walker when Mickey Mantle died. WHO GIVES A S*** where YOU were.
I was sure this would be a 5 star rating at the outset. Then in dropped to 4. Then 3. I was sure I'd give it at least 2. However, this book will get just 1 star. And for me, that is rare. Only 1 other review I've done has gotten 1 star. I only give 1 star to books I cant finish, unreadable. If I finish a novel--even if it's bad---I still give it 1 star. But not this time.
I looked fwd to reading this book. While I know a good deal about both Mickey and Willie, I hoped to learn even more. However, while there were some enjoyable tidbits, I could have learned the same information with some online research. This book started out enjoyable but quickly turned into the author's one man crusade to lambast Willie Mays.
Early on, I was sure this book would be 5 stars. The more I read, it dropped. 4 stars. 3 stars. 2. Toward the end, this book was outright pi**ing me off. So angered I skimmed the last 8-10 pages.
There were some interesting tidbits. I enjoyed learning little things I had never known (how Willie got his name, the fact that Mickey first wore #6.)
However, this book quickly turned into nothing but a slam on Willie Mays.
It is fairly obvious that the author is a Yankee fan. If things didn't end well for the Yankees (the 1961 World Series, for example), the author quickly makes excuses.
Yes, we hold athletes up as heroes, idols, especially in the day when Mickey and Willie played. They were flawless faultless GODS. Of course, that's not true. No one is perfect, ballplayers included. And this naturally holds true to Mays and Mantle. However, the author clearly holds these men to a double standard. Mickey's numerous issues--excessive drinking, alcoholism, womanizing, skirt chasing, being bad with money, infidelity--is all summed up nice and neat by alluding to the fact that Mickey was simply a `country boy' from Oklahoma, thrown into the media spotlight of NY, forced to live up to the hype of being the next Joe DiMaggio. Sure, Mickey messed up--but it wasn't his fault. He was a naïve country boy living in the big city.
However, Willie Mays is criticized, scrutinized, condemned and crucified for every little thing he did. The double standard was appalling and disgusting. Mickey's actions are explained away and excused: Willie gets ripped a new one for his.
In one scene, the author is telling about Willie's acceptance speech into the HOF. The author goes so far as to quote excerpts from the speech and then put in parenthesis why what Willie was saying was wrong.
Per the author, Willie had an easy go out of it. Mickey battled for everything he got. Willie was "coddled" by the Giants, Mickey was "taken advantage of" by the Yankees. Mickey was pushed by Yankee managers (Casey, Yogi, Ralph Houk) to always do better. Giants managers all had to "kiss Willie's a**." Mickey left baseball not overly wealthy cause he gave away his money to friends--he was an easy target and people took advantage of him. Willie left the game without much money---well, simply cause he spent too much. Mickey constantly played hurt. Willie sat out with "mysterious illnesses."
At one point, Mr, Barra even ridicules Willie Mays for who he dedicated his autobiography to: Why didn't he dedicate to his father? Why didn't he dedicate to his coach? And so on...
I consider myself a very well informed Baseball fan. Yet, I've never heard or read ANYWHERE some of the things in this book elsewhere. Willie Mays was rude to reporters, cold, moody, mean to fans, refused to sign autographs. Willie was booed and hated in San Francisco.
Willie comes off not as the man who played Baseball with a childlike enthusiasm but rather as "a bitter old man even when he was 30." Mays resents everyone and everything around him--from teammates to the city of San Francisco to reporters to managers to family. Supposedly, he even hated Hank Aaron when it became clear Aaron would break Ruth's record and not Willie. Per the author, Mays once called Aaron, "a dumb ni**er." Willie also comes off resentful of Mickey's baseball cards and memorabilia selling for more than his own.
Willie Mays is represented as a combination of the WORST of every hated ballplayer to ever play: He's Pete Rose-Ty Cobb-Barry Bonds-Roger Clemens-Raffy Palmeiro all rolled into one.
As Willie gets older and his stats obviously decline, the author seems to rejoice in Willie's deteriorating numbers. (I could almost picture the author cackling with an evil snicker.) Yet, on the flipside, when the author talks about Mickey's declining numbers as his career wound down, Mr. Barra does not hesitate to justify it by citing Mickey's age and history of injuries. It's as if: Mickey's number declined cause the poor ol' country boy drank too much and didn't take care of himself. Aww, shucks. Willie's numbers declined: GOOD!
Another aspect of this book that I found annoying was the author lambasting Willie over and over and over and over for not speaking out more during the Civil Rights struggle in the 1960;s. Yes, retired Jackie Robinson did. As well as other athletes--Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali and Curt Flood. However, 99.9% of black Ballplayers during the 60's also did not speak out against racism: Did Hank Aaron? Reggie Jackson? Frank Robinson? Bob Gibson? Willie Davis? Vide Blue? Maury Wills? Lou Brock? Willie McCovey? And so on? No, they didn't. Yet the author constantly ridicules, scorns and disparages Mays for doing the same thing practically every other player did.
There are also numerous factual errors as well as bad journalism: 1) The author claims that the Brooklyn Dodgers won the 1st 2 games of the 1955 World Series. Incorrect--the Yankees did 2) The author goes on a rant about Maury Wills winning the MVP (1962?) 3) The author mentions a game Willie Mays played in against the Houston Colts. They were NOT the Houston Colts but rather the Colt 45's (later renamed the Astros). 4) The author turns this into an op-ed piece and not a novel. He consistently questions MVP selection, saying it's appalling Mays and mantle did not win more. Well, any true Baseball fan realizes what an MVP award truly is. Right or wrong, the award does NOT go to the best player but the most VALUABLE player. 5) The author makes no mention of Duke Snider. Yes, this novel is about Mantle and Mays but how in the world can you discuss 1950's Baseball in New York and fail to mention The Duke along with Willie and Mickey. 6) The author, throughout the book, will make reference to things Willie did (he didn't show up to a certain function, he was never close to his adopted son, etc..) The author writes, 'Why Willie did that was never explained.' Well, Mr. Barra, if you're writing a book about Willie Mays shouldn't it be your job as the author to find out the reason why? 7) Toward the end the author insinuates that Commerce< OK (Mickey's birthplace) and Fairfield, AL (Willie's birthplace) are almost gone from the map, ghost towns. The author mentions that in 2010, the population of Commerce was barely over 2000. Well, quick research will show that 90 years ago, in 1920, the population was only 2600! So, really, the town has not nearly dried up. The population has only dwindled by roughly 400 people in almost a century
One more point: I wanted to read about Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Yet, for some reason, Mr. Barra continually threw in things about himself, shameless little plugs on other books he's written. When Mickey Mantle died, I want to know about it: where, why, who was at his bedside, did he suffer, last words, local reaction, etc... Instead, we get told about Mickey's passing from the author's personal point of view" I was on my way to interview Herschel Walker when Mickey Mantle died. WHO GIVES A S*** where YOU were.
I was sure this would be a 5 star rating at the outset. Then in dropped to 4. Then 3. I was sure I'd give it at least 2. However, this book will get just 1 star. And for me, that is rare. Only 1 other review I've done has gotten 1 star. I only give 1 star to books I cant finish, unreadable. If I finish a novel--even if it's bad---I still give it 1 star. But not this time.
July 19, 2021
The topic is interesting - taking two famous ballplayers and comparing their lives. I am still learning about many of the greats of baseball. Growing up not far from Commerce, OK I have always known the name Mickey Mantel even thought I do not come from a baseball family. I really didn't know anything else about him, because the more famous Mikey I knew was Mouse. There were parts of the book I found to be very interesting and really wanted Barra to go deeper, but he didn't. There were other things I couldn't wait to finish.
June 3, 2013
Really enjoyed reading this book. Barra does a good job of writing in an integrated fashion, jumping back and forth between the lives of Mantle and Mays highlights his subtitle of parallel their lives were. The book isn't in depth as it could be, but what was fascinating to me what seeing Barra alternate his perspective, from the moments when he was writing purely as a biographer, to the times as a journalist and asking tough questions and making honest conclusions, to the times when he was just remarking and remembering as a fan. I didn't grow up watching Mantle and Mays, but I grew up loving baseball and baseball statistics, in which Mantle and Mays always loomed large. The book is imperfect as a dual biography, but for any fan of baseball, particularly baseball's history, the book should be an enjoyable read.
April 3, 2023
Probably not the definitive biography of either ballplayer, since there are plenty of biographies and "autobiographies" that focus on one or the other, but this certainly cover the bases (no pun intended), in a different way. Because, interestingly, they had parallel careers and lives --- both born the same year (1931), both came to the majors the same year (1951), both starred for NY teams (Yankees & Giants), and their private lives were not the stuff of hero worship (although it was a different time and the press more-or-less kept their pens quiet).
July 17, 2014
“Mickey and Willie” is a dual biography of two contemporaries who defined baseball excellence during their careers. Their lives had remarkable similarities, friendships, rivalries and personal failures. One thing they had in common was a father who pushed them into baseball. Mickey was the son of a miner from Commerce, Oklahoma and actually rode a horse to school. Willie was the son of a steel worker in a black section of Birmingham, Alabama. Willie played for the Birmingham Black Barons in the Negro leagues while Mickey spent a short time in the minors before making the Big Leagues in New York: a Yankee and a Giant.
Both were power-hitting, fast centerfielders who were the class of their leagues for years. Mickey starred in the World Series and Willie in the All-Star Games. Author Allen Barra delves deeply into statistical comparison trying to determine who the better player was and how many more MVP awards each, particularly Willie, deserved. Mickey was plagued by injuries while Willie remained healthier but claimed to be plagued by his ballparks, the cavernous Polo Grounds and the windswept Candlestick Park. Mickey was the favorite of New York writers while Willie had a long wait for appreciation in San Francisco. Fading is a part of life that each endured, Mickey in Yankee pinstripes while Willie ended up back in New York with the Mets. Willie would always resent that Mickey’s collectibles were more valuable and sought after than his.
Their personal lives make for contrasts with Willie seeming to come out on top. Mickey is depicted as an alcoholic and a skirt chaser. Willie was a teetotaler and loyal to his wives although neither were successful as fathers. Barra treats Willie harshly for his absence from the Civil Rights Movement.
I had known that both were great players, but now have a better understanding of their baseball qualities and personal failings. I think that this book spends too much time trying to quantify their career accomplishments. I came out of this book with a greater appreciation of Willie and less of Mickey and a greater familiarity with the baseball world of their era. I had enjoyed Barra’s earlier book “Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee” (see my Amazon review). “Mickey and Willie” is a worthy addition to baseball’s story.
Both were power-hitting, fast centerfielders who were the class of their leagues for years. Mickey starred in the World Series and Willie in the All-Star Games. Author Allen Barra delves deeply into statistical comparison trying to determine who the better player was and how many more MVP awards each, particularly Willie, deserved. Mickey was plagued by injuries while Willie remained healthier but claimed to be plagued by his ballparks, the cavernous Polo Grounds and the windswept Candlestick Park. Mickey was the favorite of New York writers while Willie had a long wait for appreciation in San Francisco. Fading is a part of life that each endured, Mickey in Yankee pinstripes while Willie ended up back in New York with the Mets. Willie would always resent that Mickey’s collectibles were more valuable and sought after than his.
Their personal lives make for contrasts with Willie seeming to come out on top. Mickey is depicted as an alcoholic and a skirt chaser. Willie was a teetotaler and loyal to his wives although neither were successful as fathers. Barra treats Willie harshly for his absence from the Civil Rights Movement.
I had known that both were great players, but now have a better understanding of their baseball qualities and personal failings. I think that this book spends too much time trying to quantify their career accomplishments. I came out of this book with a greater appreciation of Willie and less of Mickey and a greater familiarity with the baseball world of their era. I had enjoyed Barra’s earlier book “Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee” (see my Amazon review). “Mickey and Willie” is a worthy addition to baseball’s story.
May 3, 2023
I am a big San Francisco Giants fan and a baseball fan in general. I am also a big fan of history books. So, this book is right up my alley.
My baseball memories don't include Mickey Mantle, he was retired by the time I remember watching Major League Baseball. I only remember Willie Mays as a Met in his last two years of baseball. Thus, lots of the stories told in this book about these great baseball players were new to me. I knew the general theme that they were great players-but I didn't know the little detail that make the story about their careers so interesting.
Barra compares Mantle to Mays throughout their careers. They had a lot in common. Who was the better player? Mantle played on the better teams but did that make him the better player? Through each stage in their lives, you get to know Mantle and Mays. That isn't as good a thing as you would expect. You get to see all their warts. Like all people, they weren't perfect.
Good book to read as Mays approaches 92 years of age and the 2023 baseball season has begun.
My baseball memories don't include Mickey Mantle, he was retired by the time I remember watching Major League Baseball. I only remember Willie Mays as a Met in his last two years of baseball. Thus, lots of the stories told in this book about these great baseball players were new to me. I knew the general theme that they were great players-but I didn't know the little detail that make the story about their careers so interesting.
Barra compares Mantle to Mays throughout their careers. They had a lot in common. Who was the better player? Mantle played on the better teams but did that make him the better player? Through each stage in their lives, you get to know Mantle and Mays. That isn't as good a thing as you would expect. You get to see all their warts. Like all people, they weren't perfect.
Good book to read as Mays approaches 92 years of age and the 2023 baseball season has begun.
January 8, 2022
This was a great linear journey through their lives. They were forever linked in many ways and does much more than compare them as baseball players. Rather it reveals much of their personal vulnerabilities, regrets, and family relationships. There are plenty of books that detail each one of their lives independently but this is the first book that connects them side by side and perhaps provides readers with the best platform to decide who was the best.
June 4, 2013
Geez. Not enough primary sources; Barra basically read every other biography of Mantle and Mays and strung them together. Which saves me from having to read them, for which I should be thankful, but I wish he had added more of his own memories.
December 19, 2022
Since my dad was a big Mickey Mantle fan as a kid he was someone I always liked as well. This was a great book that told me a lot about both of these guys I never knew about. It was say Mays wasn't awarded more MVPs. Great book overall.
May 29, 2024
Ordinarily, it would not take me almost two months to read a book like this, but the school year took an awful turn, and, well, joy was difficult to find.
I digress.
Mantle and Maris are two of the best players of all town, and they spark a lively and nuanced argument as to who was better, with loads of different factors to consider. It’s a tough call, one that transcends their basic statistics and begs for a more advanced approach. But that’s not really the overarching theme of this book, which is more rooted in a tribute to two icons, the context of their careers, and the undeniable mark they had on American culture during their respective time as true five tool players.
I digress.
Mantle and Maris are two of the best players of all town, and they spark a lively and nuanced argument as to who was better, with loads of different factors to consider. It’s a tough call, one that transcends their basic statistics and begs for a more advanced approach. But that’s not really the overarching theme of this book, which is more rooted in a tribute to two icons, the context of their careers, and the undeniable mark they had on American culture during their respective time as true five tool players.
Read
July 9, 2024A little heavy on the Mickey end - he claims without injuries he would have been the greatest player of all time. Maybe so, but who knows?
And a little judgmental on Willie - he quotes some sour takes from a San Francisco beat writer and a not very successful Giants manager who thought Mays wasn't deferential enough.
But otherwise well reported and written. These two giants, in both senses, had more in common than people realize, particularly in the roots of their raising.
And a little judgmental on Willie - he quotes some sour takes from a San Francisco beat writer and a not very successful Giants manager who thought Mays wasn't deferential enough.
But otherwise well reported and written. These two giants, in both senses, had more in common than people realize, particularly in the roots of their raising.
April 26, 2021
This book showed what the press didn't. Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays were almost identical same position, city, size, and similar stats. Fans and press often portrayed them as rivals and competitors when they were actually really close friends. Both of them shared much in common and I thought it was important for the author to portray that aspect of press.
October 8, 2021
If you're a sports fan, find another book. If you like gossip and tabloids, read it.
Allan Barra was more interested in being a gossip queen than writing a good book about sports. Furthermore, he doesn't verify much of what he writes about, mostly rumors, or one person's opinion, unverified garbage. I stopped halfway when the gossip took over and very little baseball.
Allan Barra was more interested in being a gossip queen than writing a good book about sports. Furthermore, he doesn't verify much of what he writes about, mostly rumors, or one person's opinion, unverified garbage. I stopped halfway when the gossip took over and very little baseball.
March 17, 2023
A nostalgic look at baseballs golden era. A well written review with plenty of stats to back up the authors stance on the two stars. A lot of baseball history, integration of baseball, franchises moving across the country, raising the height of the mound, etc. Many things enter into the times and feats then and the lack of the same today.
I throughly enjoyed the book.
I throughly enjoyed the book.
June 2, 2018
Just like watching Willie play.
September 28, 2021
Highly opinionated but backed up with tons of stats. But whose arguing. Loved them both.
December 14, 2021
Returned by library. I did not read far enough to review properly. Enjoy!
December 21, 2021
This book wasn’t as much about friendship as much as I’d hoped it would be. It was, though, still an excellent dual biography about the two best baseball players of their generation.
May 7, 2022
I am a old baseball fan so I enjoy this book
August 19, 2023
An extremely well written and thoroughly researched book about two of the greats in baseball history. Beautiful writing makes these two icons human.
One of the best baseball books I have ever read.
One of the best baseball books I have ever read.
January 21, 2024
at times an exhausting examination of their lives from their very early days, surprisingly, they had similar backgrounds. insightful.
August 19, 2015
Three stars for general interest; four stars for a niche audience. If you enjoy baseball and also like biographies, this may be a winner for you.
As for me, I found myself wishing I had read separate biographies of each of these players before tackling one that compares the two. The first third of the book was very slow going for me, because the narrative flips from one to the other frequently, and during their growing up years I found myself becoming confused…now wait a second, which one has the horse? There was so much minutiae and I had a hard time keeping track.
That said, the story has a certain elegance. I like the fact that it breaks apart stereotypes: Willie Mays grew up in the Jim Crow south, but his family was part of the Black middle class, urban folks with a degree of sophistication. Pictures of him as a youngster show a well developed, well nourished child wearing a nice suit. Mantle, on the other hand, grew up in a very poor mining community in Oklahoma. Had baseball not permitted him to escape Commerce, Oklahoma, he would likely have had to go into the mines as well.
Mantle was diagnosed early in life with osteomyelitis, and nearly had to have his leg amputated. Though he was able to save the leg and go on to run like lightning on the field, he was booed by New York fans who were convinced he had dodged the draft. His agent and manager both spread the word that he had been declared unfit to serve because of his condition, but the fans saw the man run and, in the parlance of the time, believed his sick-leg story to be a lot of hooey.
Mays tried to avoid the draft by pointing out correctly that he had eleven dependents, but they made him serve anyway. However, he was never placed in harm’s way, and spent his tenure in the armed forces playing ball for a military team. When he returned to the professional field, he was already in shape, just as if he’d been off playing winter ball for a year or so.
This middle portion of the book is very interesting and has a photograph section that can actually be seen on an e-reader, a definite bonus. I enjoyed reading about their professional lives, and since they start far away from one another and grow gradually closer until they are together, the transitions are buttery smooth.
The end portion of the book is a let-down, although since it discusses their careers and bodies in decline, it is probably inevitable; I felt it could have done with some pruning, but those who hang onto every individual statistic will enjoy the charts and comparisons.
To me, however, trying to decide which athlete is “better” is specious. Who cares? They are both legends. They both deserve to be remembered well. There is no contest, as far as I am concerned.
Seeing how they struggled financially once they could no longer play was really a sad thing, and a good reminder of why star athletes earn every penny they make. By their late 30’s they will be deemed old men, and most of their lives will still be in front of them. Not everyone can become a coach, a manager, or an announcer. There aren’t enough of those positions, and many athletes aren’t gifted as writers, speakers, or teachers. They know what to do, but it’s muscle memory, and when it’s gone, it’s gone.
Barra’s research is mostly comprised of secondary sources; he has a few brief interviews, but his perpetual insistence on badgering Mays over his abstinence from the Civil Rights struggle got him cut off time after time. Mays was a reticent person, and it struck me once again that Black athletes have put up with such double standards; nobody climbs all over a Caucasian player who simply isn’t political and prefers to keep his thoughts to himself. Yet Mays hears about it all the time, and his biographer here is as bad as any of them.
I appreciated his references to what he says are the best biographies of each man individually; those are now on my to-read list.
Meanwhile, I recommend this book to die-hard baseball enthusiasts who already know a little something about Mays and Mantle individually.
As for me, I found myself wishing I had read separate biographies of each of these players before tackling one that compares the two. The first third of the book was very slow going for me, because the narrative flips from one to the other frequently, and during their growing up years I found myself becoming confused…now wait a second, which one has the horse? There was so much minutiae and I had a hard time keeping track.
That said, the story has a certain elegance. I like the fact that it breaks apart stereotypes: Willie Mays grew up in the Jim Crow south, but his family was part of the Black middle class, urban folks with a degree of sophistication. Pictures of him as a youngster show a well developed, well nourished child wearing a nice suit. Mantle, on the other hand, grew up in a very poor mining community in Oklahoma. Had baseball not permitted him to escape Commerce, Oklahoma, he would likely have had to go into the mines as well.
Mantle was diagnosed early in life with osteomyelitis, and nearly had to have his leg amputated. Though he was able to save the leg and go on to run like lightning on the field, he was booed by New York fans who were convinced he had dodged the draft. His agent and manager both spread the word that he had been declared unfit to serve because of his condition, but the fans saw the man run and, in the parlance of the time, believed his sick-leg story to be a lot of hooey.
Mays tried to avoid the draft by pointing out correctly that he had eleven dependents, but they made him serve anyway. However, he was never placed in harm’s way, and spent his tenure in the armed forces playing ball for a military team. When he returned to the professional field, he was already in shape, just as if he’d been off playing winter ball for a year or so.
This middle portion of the book is very interesting and has a photograph section that can actually be seen on an e-reader, a definite bonus. I enjoyed reading about their professional lives, and since they start far away from one another and grow gradually closer until they are together, the transitions are buttery smooth.
The end portion of the book is a let-down, although since it discusses their careers and bodies in decline, it is probably inevitable; I felt it could have done with some pruning, but those who hang onto every individual statistic will enjoy the charts and comparisons.
To me, however, trying to decide which athlete is “better” is specious. Who cares? They are both legends. They both deserve to be remembered well. There is no contest, as far as I am concerned.
Seeing how they struggled financially once they could no longer play was really a sad thing, and a good reminder of why star athletes earn every penny they make. By their late 30’s they will be deemed old men, and most of their lives will still be in front of them. Not everyone can become a coach, a manager, or an announcer. There aren’t enough of those positions, and many athletes aren’t gifted as writers, speakers, or teachers. They know what to do, but it’s muscle memory, and when it’s gone, it’s gone.
Barra’s research is mostly comprised of secondary sources; he has a few brief interviews, but his perpetual insistence on badgering Mays over his abstinence from the Civil Rights struggle got him cut off time after time. Mays was a reticent person, and it struck me once again that Black athletes have put up with such double standards; nobody climbs all over a Caucasian player who simply isn’t political and prefers to keep his thoughts to himself. Yet Mays hears about it all the time, and his biographer here is as bad as any of them.
I appreciated his references to what he says are the best biographies of each man individually; those are now on my to-read list.
Meanwhile, I recommend this book to die-hard baseball enthusiasts who already know a little something about Mays and Mantle individually.
November 16, 2015
This book opens with the first sentence in the introduction: “I didn’t cry when my father died, but I held back tears on August 13, 1995, when I heard that Mickey Mantle was gone.” This was not an inspiring sentence for me and was rather a crude awakening – sports stars are people that most people do not know personally (like Rock Stars, Movie Stars, Famous Poets, Authors etc.) I felt this opening was rather cold and barren. From the git-go after reading this opening sentence I believed this book would be a tough read for me. An odd item however to consider based on the opening sentence in the Introduction is the dedication of the book – “Dedicated To My Father – Alfred Barra – Who Loved Mickey but worshipped Willie.”
I am torn on this book – the first 300 pages was for me too much going back on forth on the comparison of the ballplayers lives growing up. As I continued to struggle through these pages I believed more and more that this book could have been at least 125 pages less than what it was a book dedicated to each with maybe a chapter for a reflection on those similarities on the other. Mickey and Willie were good friends on and off the field of play – this is apparent. This friendship lasted from their early adulthood lives and careers to the death of Mickey in 1995; Willie still speaks kindly today of his old friend as best I could tell by the way the author wrote the story.
Part of the difficulty in this book were the many upon many upon many more footnotes in pages all through the book. The last page of the book has what looked to me to be the largest footnote of all – I simply skipped all the footnotes after I reached page 50, I expect books on sports to tell a story absent footnotes reserved for books of History or Academia. Considering this is a sports book and nothing more; the historical context of the same remains in “sports” and to me this is not History – both gentlemen were sports stars. Yes, it was also their “job” but at the end of the day their job was a game.
I was not impressed with the Author’s reference to the many ball players such as Willie that were drafted in the early 1950’s and then coddled by the U.S. Army to play ball – many other boys did not have this luxury during the Korean War. One ball player referenced at least 10 times in this book is Ted Williams – a “ball player” that served in two wars and lost 5 years of MLB statistics to boot. A U.S. Marine Pilot who first flew Pursuit Planes during the Second World War he moved up to Jets during the Korean conflict. All the time the Author writes of the coddled players – and for all the times he references Ted Williams – he never combines the contrast for a moment. Another point I simply disliked.
By far the last 100 pages (maybe 90) of the book were the best for me. The Author had a professional relationship to some degree with both Mantle and Mays and other sports stars – this still in my opinion does not attribute a reason to the opening line in the introductory section. The NBA and NFL get honorary mentions in this book and he doesn’t give any honorary mention to the NHL. Even for the time frame where the NFL was just gaining gas in the early 1960’s the NHL had quite a storied history of sport in its own right long before the NBA and NFL came into existence – Howie Morenz was to the NHL what Babe Ruth was to MLB.
Simply too difficult a read – the final 100 pages cannot in my mind make up for the 480 of detail that leaves the reader confused. I simply give this book 2 stars (rounding down from 2.5) as the main interest for the majority of people in my opinion will be in the last 90-100 pages. This book was simply too long.
I am torn on this book – the first 300 pages was for me too much going back on forth on the comparison of the ballplayers lives growing up. As I continued to struggle through these pages I believed more and more that this book could have been at least 125 pages less than what it was a book dedicated to each with maybe a chapter for a reflection on those similarities on the other. Mickey and Willie were good friends on and off the field of play – this is apparent. This friendship lasted from their early adulthood lives and careers to the death of Mickey in 1995; Willie still speaks kindly today of his old friend as best I could tell by the way the author wrote the story.
Part of the difficulty in this book were the many upon many upon many more footnotes in pages all through the book. The last page of the book has what looked to me to be the largest footnote of all – I simply skipped all the footnotes after I reached page 50, I expect books on sports to tell a story absent footnotes reserved for books of History or Academia. Considering this is a sports book and nothing more; the historical context of the same remains in “sports” and to me this is not History – both gentlemen were sports stars. Yes, it was also their “job” but at the end of the day their job was a game.
I was not impressed with the Author’s reference to the many ball players such as Willie that were drafted in the early 1950’s and then coddled by the U.S. Army to play ball – many other boys did not have this luxury during the Korean War. One ball player referenced at least 10 times in this book is Ted Williams – a “ball player” that served in two wars and lost 5 years of MLB statistics to boot. A U.S. Marine Pilot who first flew Pursuit Planes during the Second World War he moved up to Jets during the Korean conflict. All the time the Author writes of the coddled players – and for all the times he references Ted Williams – he never combines the contrast for a moment. Another point I simply disliked.
By far the last 100 pages (maybe 90) of the book were the best for me. The Author had a professional relationship to some degree with both Mantle and Mays and other sports stars – this still in my opinion does not attribute a reason to the opening line in the introductory section. The NBA and NFL get honorary mentions in this book and he doesn’t give any honorary mention to the NHL. Even for the time frame where the NFL was just gaining gas in the early 1960’s the NHL had quite a storied history of sport in its own right long before the NBA and NFL came into existence – Howie Morenz was to the NHL what Babe Ruth was to MLB.
Simply too difficult a read – the final 100 pages cannot in my mind make up for the 480 of detail that leaves the reader confused. I simply give this book 2 stars (rounding down from 2.5) as the main interest for the majority of people in my opinion will be in the last 90-100 pages. This book was simply too long.
September 19, 2015
This book is the author's love letter to two of his favorite baseball players: Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Allen Barra grew up in New York while Mickey and Willie were playing there. As a sports writer he had the opportunity to interview both players over the years. The careers of both Willie and Mickey began almost at the same time. Barra traces their lives and their careers. He examines the legends and stories that grew up around each man and either confirms the truth of the legend or debunks it. He does not whitewash the flaws and weaknesses of each man including Mickey's drinking and womanizing. Barra has obviously done a lot of reading and research to produce this book. He examines statistics and games in comparing the two men.
Mickey Mantle, who played for the New York Yankees, was booed much of his career by the New York fans as a draft dodger. During the Korean War, Mickey was given 4F status because of a disease he had. The fans did not understand and called him a draft dodger. They also booed him because he was not Joe Dimaggio. Willie Mays, playing for the New York Giants, was loved by the fans of New York. When the Giants moved to San Francisco, Mays for the first time in his career was booed by the San Francisco fans in part because he was not Joe Dimaggio.
Mantle grew up poor in Oklahoma. Mays grew up in segregated Birmingham, Alabama. For both men, baseball was the way out of poverty. Their fathers were major factors in their development as players, pushing them to be the best they could be.
Growing up in central Illinois in the 50's and 60's as a St. Louis Cardinal fan, I knew of both Mays and Mantle. I found this book fascinating and rich in detail. It may have too many statistics for some people. I would recommend the book to any fans of Mays, Mantle or baseball.
Mickey Mantle, who played for the New York Yankees, was booed much of his career by the New York fans as a draft dodger. During the Korean War, Mickey was given 4F status because of a disease he had. The fans did not understand and called him a draft dodger. They also booed him because he was not Joe Dimaggio. Willie Mays, playing for the New York Giants, was loved by the fans of New York. When the Giants moved to San Francisco, Mays for the first time in his career was booed by the San Francisco fans in part because he was not Joe Dimaggio.
Mantle grew up poor in Oklahoma. Mays grew up in segregated Birmingham, Alabama. For both men, baseball was the way out of poverty. Their fathers were major factors in their development as players, pushing them to be the best they could be.
Growing up in central Illinois in the 50's and 60's as a St. Louis Cardinal fan, I knew of both Mays and Mantle. I found this book fascinating and rich in detail. It may have too many statistics for some people. I would recommend the book to any fans of Mays, Mantle or baseball.
June 2, 2015
This is not simply a biography of two players who have each had numerous biographies already written about them. Rather, it shows how their careers and lives were so similar and so connected early on, and how they were not only the greatest players of their generation (which is supported by statistics quoted throughout the book), but possibly the two best to ever play baseball.
There is new information in this book, including personal stories from the author, but it also draws from (and compares discrepancies between) previous sources, but it always maintains respect for the two subjects – men the author continues to hold in the highest respect, even with their flaws: Mays didn’t help enough with the battle for free agency or the civil rights movement and was unkind to Henry Aaron; Mantle drank too much and could be surly with autograph seekers; neither had much success as a husband or father; etc…
While this is primarily a book for baseball fans, it’s also an account of the biggest stars in sports (baseball being overwhelmingly dominant, particularly in the 1950s) and their lives of triumph and turbulence, on and off the field, and in the end makes readers contemplate “hero worship” and unrealistic expectations for those we admire.
There is new information in this book, including personal stories from the author, but it also draws from (and compares discrepancies between) previous sources, but it always maintains respect for the two subjects – men the author continues to hold in the highest respect, even with their flaws: Mays didn’t help enough with the battle for free agency or the civil rights movement and was unkind to Henry Aaron; Mantle drank too much and could be surly with autograph seekers; neither had much success as a husband or father; etc…
While this is primarily a book for baseball fans, it’s also an account of the biggest stars in sports (baseball being overwhelmingly dominant, particularly in the 1950s) and their lives of triumph and turbulence, on and off the field, and in the end makes readers contemplate “hero worship” and unrealistic expectations for those we admire.
November 5, 2013
I'm not a real baseball fan, I'm a fair weather fan. It's my third American sport after football and basketball. My family and friends are major SF Giants fans, and my husband is a Dodger fan.
This was a great book and I had so many baseball conversations that started with "did you know..." I was enthralled and couldn't put it down. There are too many stats for me, but all the player references kept prompting me to ask my husband "is so-and-so still alive?" I can't believe such stories are still our country's recent history. I can't believe that my mom and dad actually watched them play. I truly have a deeper appreciation for the history of the game.
He says on the first page, that these two are the most written about players. This book is comprehensive. It references and quotes many other books. It has also inspired me to read more about these men and the history of the game.
This was a great book and I had so many baseball conversations that started with "did you know..." I was enthralled and couldn't put it down. There are too many stats for me, but all the player references kept prompting me to ask my husband "is so-and-so still alive?" I can't believe such stories are still our country's recent history. I can't believe that my mom and dad actually watched them play. I truly have a deeper appreciation for the history of the game.
He says on the first page, that these two are the most written about players. This book is comprehensive. It references and quotes many other books. It has also inspired me to read more about these men and the history of the game.
August 17, 2013
What more can be said about Mantle and Mays? Well, it turns out: a lot. The author does an effective and interesting job of comparing Mickey and Willie in an entertaining and thought-provoking narrative. The writing is insightful throughout, and often poignant. The author has obviously spent years thinking about what baseball during the era of Mantle and Mays meant to our nation, and to the author personally. Mickey and Willie are presented in all their colorful mix of complexity and simplicity, highs and lows, successes and mistakes.
History is an ongoing conversation with the past, as we seek to understand why things happened the way they did, and how the future was influenced. This book is a terrific contribution to baseball's history. But it's also a deeply human story, and would even be interesting to people who are not baseball fans.
History is an ongoing conversation with the past, as we seek to understand why things happened the way they did, and how the future was influenced. This book is a terrific contribution to baseball's history. But it's also a deeply human story, and would even be interesting to people who are not baseball fans.
August 29, 2013
It's obvious this was a labor of love for the author. His childhood love of Mantle and Mays (as it surely was for millions of youngsters in the '50s and '60s) practically mandated that he (or someone like him) would eventually write this book. Barra does an extensive amount of research to piece his material together and carefully build his case.
This is a great look at the lives and careers of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, but all that ground has been covered before. The real hook to this book is the burning question: Who was better? You may or may not agree with the author's conclusion, but his argument is well-thought out and will make for interesting conversation among baseball enthusiasts.
This is a great look at the lives and careers of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, but all that ground has been covered before. The real hook to this book is the burning question: Who was better? You may or may not agree with the author's conclusion, but his argument is well-thought out and will make for interesting conversation among baseball enthusiasts.
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