Mickey Mantle vs Joe DiMaggio

[Capt2712]

Whos the better one

[Appling]

I voted for the Mick, but perhaps too quickly.
I knew that Mantle had a longer career (18 years vs 13 for Joe), that Mick had more career homeruns and higher OBP, but that Joe had a higher career batting average.

What I forgot about is RBI. Despite only 6821 career AB Joe had 1537 RBI -- ranking him #37 of all time. Mantle had 8102 career AB but only 1509 RBI. That RBI total should earn Joe more respect.

[torez77]

Another good poll.

I choose the Mick. He was the better offensive player due to better power, OBP and speed, was more dominant, and was the better all-around player.

[64Cards]

I'll go with Mickey. I think he was a lot better guy in the clubhouse, from everything I read he was always ready to cut up and have fun with everyone, even the rookies. Joe D acted like he was a god and expected his teammates and media to treat him as such. Read a story some where that Rizzuto, when he was a rookie, ran into Joe outside the hotel on a road trip and Joe asked to borrow $20 to go out to dinner with one of the other players, had left his wallet in the clubhouse. Phil gave him the 20 and assumed he would be joining Joe for dinner, but Joe got into a cab and ditched Rizzuto. Phil said he never got the 20 back either. It was said Mantle was always generous with his teammates.

[CoasttoCoast]

I will stick with No.7!

[Myankee4life]

i choose Dimaggio because he was considered the greatest all around player by many of his peers , also a .325 avg, 3 mvp's and 9 ws rings

as part of 9 men, Dimaggio is the greatest player that ever lived

[RuthMayBond]

17 points of OPS+
AND 2200+ PA
AND 123 SB is a lot to make up

[Blackout]

I did this poll at NYYfans.com and right now Dimaggio is ahead 26 votes to 21

by the way, 64cards, thats an interesting story, although it was one-sided.

you remember exactly where it was from? a book or interview or somethin?

[64Cards]

by the way, 64cards, thats an interesting story, although it was one-sided.

you remember exactly where it was from? a book or interview or somethin?

It may have been from Peter Golenbock's "Dynasty" seems that I've read it a couple of places.

[pjf]

DiMaggio

No one can question DiMaggio's accomplishments as a ballplayer but as an individual??? Rumor is that he resented Mantle's talent and practically ignored him. Also, at the end of his great playing career several books have suggested that he was so proud of his fielding stats that he often did not take chances that great outfielders often do. Another example of his pettiness, aside from the Rizzuto incident posted above , was Oltimers Day at Yankee Stadium in the '70s. Mantle was always the last to be introduced and his cheers always the loudest. This upset DiMaggio to the point that he requested that he should be introduced last. Didn't matter, Mantle still got the biggest ovation. Rating Mantle on the all-time list is always difficult because when healthy not only his potential but production matched anyone who ever played the game.

[SABR Matt]

Mick...by a comfortable margin.

[flash143817]

I would say Mickey easily. Joe D was always overrated IMO. He was called the Greatest Living Ballplayer while both Mays and Williams were also alive. Both of those guys were better than Joe D.

Mantle was a far superior hitter besides average. Basically he is better than Joe in every category besides average. And Mantle was a great teammate. Read "My Favorite Summer" by Phil Pepe. In it, Mantle spends most of the book talking about the great times he had with teammates and other people. Of course this lifestyle caught up to him but it certainly endeared him to teammates.

On pure ability, I would venture to say that the Mick had more of it than anyone else who ever played the game. I shudder to think what he would have done without that sprinkler head (which was partly Joe's fault to begin with).

[zman]

Just curious. Is there anyone on this board who actually saw DiMaggio play? If so, I'd love to read their impression of him. Was he as graceful in the field as they say? etc.

[wamby]

by the way, 64cards, thats an interesting story, although it was one-sided.

you remember exactly where it was from? a book or interview or somethin?

Rizzuto said that it happened the night the DiMaggios hitting streak ended, but he also said that DiMaggio just wanted to go to a bar and be by himself. I' m not sure how true it is, because the streak ended in Cleveland and I don't klnow if Dimaggio could have gone to a Cleveland bar and expected any privacy, like he could have in New York.

[Appling]

Rating Mantle on the all-time list is always difficult because when healthy not only his potential but production matched anyone who ever played the game.

I think that Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Vern Stephens were all three given little credit in late-career MVP ballots because all three started so strong. Their later achievements were compared not with other players in the same season as with their own achievements early in the career.

Seems to me you get more respect if you start slow and then improve when you get older -- like LHP Warren Spahn and Sandy Koufax. (Barry Bonds is a very special case.)