By Thomas Best
Last week, I shared with you one of the better baseball biographies I have ever read regarding the career of Ty Cobb. Indeed, I love books which engage you in the realities and myths of our national pastime. This situation gave me the idea of sharing some stories this week and next about interesting or humorous “Tales from the Diamond.” By the way, that also happens to be the title of a fascinating little book I have about baseball. Written by Mike Shannon, and no—not the Mike Shannon of Cardinal baseball broadcasting fame, this short read provides both groans and chuckles.
The first short story I want to share is about my father’s favorite player when he was growing up—Mickey Mantle. A Yankee icon, Mantle was a mythic hero to so many young boys who longed to be a major league player someday. Mantle was particularly known for his massive swats of baseballs into stadium bleachers. But were you aware of his playful side? It is said that Mantle never fully appreciated his fame, especially the standard quest for his autograph. Granted, he made vast amounts of money by adhering his name in ink to baseball cards, balls, and all sorts of items, but one occasion he took time to poke fun at himself. The story that the Mick told was this: “When I die, I’m going to the met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter, who’s going to say, ‘Sorry, Mick, you can’t come in because of all the bad things you did in life. But before you go, God wants you to sign these baseballs.”
My second humorous story is about another baseball legend, Willie Mays. The “Say Hey Kid” was someone I loved to emulate through his acrobatic basket catches in the outfield. However, Mays was equally admired for being one of the fastest players who ever played the game. In fact, it was not unusual to see him steal a base with such speed and flair that spectators and fellow players alike were in awe of his talent. However, did you know that Mays had a little trick to make him appear even more of a speed demon on the bases. Mays liked to wear a hat that was slightly too big for his head. This trick allowed his hat to easily fly off his head while he was stealing a base. As Mays said, “. . . every time I ran from first to second and wheeled to the left, that cap would simply fly off just as if I’d been running so fast I’d run out from under it.” After successfully reaching second base with a stolen base, in order to give himself a chance to catch his breath and allow the fans the chance cheer him on, he would jog back to retrieve his now dusty hat. As Mays later told his story, this gag gave him some “extra credit” for being more powerful than he was in reality.
