Our Mickey: Cherished Memories of an American Icon

by Yogi Berra, Bill Liederman, Maury Allen

An affecting tribute to a generation’s most revered baseball player, this book includes the heartfelt memories of dozens of ballplayers, celebrities, authors, journalists, and fans who share their favorite story or anecdote about Mickey Mantle. In the 1950s and early '60s, America was dominated by John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Mickey Mantle. But it was Mantle's unmatched combination of good looks, awe-inspiring athletic skill, natural charisma, and all-American-boy persona that set him at the top of this class. Allows Mantle's most famous fans to reveal why they adored the superstar so much, Our Mickey includes contributions by Billy Crystal, Hilary Rodham Clinton, Dan Rather, Donald Trump, Henry Kissinger, Ted Williams, and many more.

190 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra was an American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career (1946–1965) for the New York Yankees. Berra was one of only four players to be named the Most Valuable Player of the American League three times and is one of only six managers to lead both American and National League teams to the World Series. As a player, coach, or manager, Berra appeared in 21 World Series. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

Reviews

[Ken Heard · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a recurring skit back when Saturday Night Live was even less funny that featured Tonces the Cat driving a car. In each show, the cat would drive off a cliff and the car would flip and explode. The joke's premise was simply, "Oh, that Tonces!"

The same theme is evident in "Our Mickey," a collection of memories from friends and acquaintances of Mickey Mantle. Many stories show how much of a turd Mantle was. Many recalled his affairs, his drinking and his inappropriate comments and cursing. Once, Marty Appel wrote, someone asked Mantle about his wife's stroke. "She can't do this anymore," he said, pantamining an obscene act.

But those memories all had that, "Oh, that Mickey," feel.

Read Jane Leavy's book on Mantle for the real story. Read this one for a glossing over of an entitled ball player with deep issues and alcoholic problems. Rather than read off-color memories, I'd rather have read more about Mantle on the field. While some of the book did include recollections by other players of Mantle's prowess playing baseball, there wasn't enough.

[Martin Freund · Rating 1 out of 5]

I suppose one's opinion of this book would be based on one's opinion of bathroom humor. Personally, I wish I had never read this collection of moronic anecdotes about a great baseball icon. Mickey Mantle was a hero to millions of fans who grew up during the 1950's. I was disappointed to learn that his post Yankees life was filled with boorish and in some cases, destructively hurtful behavior. He was a man-child who allowed his abuse of alcohol to rule his actions. I understand that alcoholism is a disease. However, this ridiculous book excuses the Mick's bad behavior as just cute. The title of the book says it all for me. It is titled "Our Mickey", and the publishers can keep him.

[Angela Messaglia · Rating 3 out of 5]

i wish there was more to this