Did Mickey Mantle's race help his popularity?

[redban]

Mickey Mantle played from 1951 - 1968.

Racism was strong, and dark-skinned players like Mays, Aaron, and Clemente began to dominate.

Surely, this angered a lot of people.

Did these same people attach themselves to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Mickey Mantle in hopes of baseball remaining a white man's sport?

[chicagowhitesox1173]

I would say yes, I think it's still like that today. But especially back in the 50's.

[Bigfoot 88]

It's important to recognize with baseball, we are talking about the general population, not racial hate groups. Racial hate groups are abnormal.

I have realized and accepted that every person has a natural, inherent racial preference that is subconscious to them. Left alone, people self-segregate naturally, not out of hate. Only recently culturally has that instinct begun to become rolled back, but it will always remain and there is nothing wrong with it. It all has to do with people comparing themselves to others. Just as girls want makeup because their friends have it for an example. Racial hate is morally wrong and not natural. Many religions helps dissolve such barriers as well.

But much, much moreso than race are cultural preferences. Language, geography, habits, gestures, and current trends. Most American's would have little in common with Clemente, as compared to Mantle. Mays would be somewhere in between. I'm talking about a mostly white population here.

As for Mantle's specific popularity, the New York media market certainly helped him as well.

[Jackaroo Dave]

Mantle was thought to be very good-looking. (To me, he looks like Andy Griffith's kid brother.) That was part of the package. Being handsome, rather than specifically being white, helped quite a bit. Even his alliterative name helped a bit, I think. Plus being a Yankee, of course.

On the other hand, I think handsome black players were held back more than they would be today, so the Mick dodged that.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Mickey Mantle played from 1951 - 1968.

Racism was strong, and dark-skinned players like Mays, Aaron, and Clemente began to dominate.

Surely, this angered a lot of people.

Did these same people attach themselves to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Mickey Mantle in hopes of baseball remaining a white man's sport?

I don't get the anger bit. If so your speaking of some racist people not even baseball fans.
I recall Mantle. Mays and Aaron playing and I can tell you from my surroundings, many white fans raved about Willie and Hank being great players and had loads of whites that loved watching them play.
The only advantage I saw that was the cause for Mick being followed more was the built in factor, he was a Yankee.

[Blackout]

race? hell no


Mantle's multiple 180 OPS+ seasons are what made him so popular (and better than Mays or Aaron)

[Blackout]

I would say yes, I think it's still like that today. But especially back in the 50's.

how so?


the best players in the league are Hamilton and Trout (white) and Cano and Pujols (latin)

[TonyK]

When I went to watch Mantle play at Fenway Park I viewed him as the best player on the best team in baseball. He was a five-tool player who gave his all in every game. So was Willie Mays.

I never thought of baseball as a white man's sport back in the 60's.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

how so?


the best players in the league are Hamilton and Trout (white) and Cano and Pujols (latin)

I feel a white guy even today will buy a white players jersey before he would a latin or black players jersey and I think a latin and black guy would do the same in alot of instances. I'm sure nobody on here would do that but I dont know maybe it's where I live but thats what alot of people do here. I think in the 50's of course your gonna have big Wilie mays fans but lets face it especially back then kids grew up in with there grandparents and fathers not being to friendly to the black race.

[GiambiJuice]

I feel a white guy even today will buy a white players jersey before he would a latin or black players jersey and I think a latin and black guy would do the same in alot of instances. I'm sure nobody on here would do that but I dont know maybe it's where I live but thats what alot of people do here. I think in the 50's of course your gonna have big Wilie mays fans but lets face it especially back then kids grew up in with there grandparents and fathers not being to friendly to the black race.

My gut instinct was to disagree with this assessment, but then I looked up the top 20 bestselling jerseys of 2011, and you may be onto something...

1. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
2. Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies
3. *Albert Pujols, LA Angels of Anaheim
4. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
5. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
6. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
7. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
8. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
9. *Hunter Pence, Philadelphia Phillies
10. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
11. Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
12. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
13. Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
14. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox
15. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
16. Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
17. Robinson Cano, New York Yankees
18. Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees
19. Carl Crawford, Boston Red Sox
20. David Freese, St. Louis Cardinals

*Pujols played for the St. Louis Cardinals until signing with the Angels in December 2011, while Pence was traded from the Houston Astros to the Phillies in July 2011. In both cases, their rankings reflect sales of jerseys for both teams.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Being The Man for The Team is what made Mantle so popular.

[BondsOverBabe]

If they switched teams and Clemente played for the Yankees and lead them to 7 or 8 WS like Mantle did he would of been just as popular.

[willshad]

race? hell no


Mantle's multiple 180 OPS+ seasons are what made him so popular (and better than Mays or Aaron)

OPS+ was not around back then. I'm willing to bet that Mantle was seen as somewhat of a disappointment at the time compared to Aaron and mays, especially after his triple crown year that he never could come close to again.

[GiambiJuice]

OPS+ was not around back then. I'm willing to bet that Mantle was seen as somewhat of a disappointment at the time compared to Aaron and mays, especially after his triple crown year that he never could come close to again.

A strong argument can be made that Mantle was even better in '57 than in 56. His '61 season wasn't too far off either.

[willshad]

A strong argument can be made that Mantle was even better in '57 than in 56. His '61 season wasn't too far off either.

Maybe from a saber standpoint..but sabermetrics weren't around then. His home run and RBI totals in '57 were far off his 1956 totals, and his batting average in '61 was far off as well. All people looked at back then were HR RBI and BA.