On October 20, 1931, Mickey Charles Mantle was born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma. Mantle played football, basketball and baseball at his high school in Commerce, Oklahoma. Mantle drawn the attention of Yankee's scout Tom Greenwade, who purchased him with the sum of $140 per week.

In Independence, Kansas, in 1949 Mantle reported to the Yankees' minor league team as a shortstop. After 2 years in the minor leagues, the New York Yankees invited him to their MLB training camp. He cemented his place on the roster, and the New York media soon started comparing him with the great Babe Ruth

and other past Yankee legends. Only 19 years old and 2 years out of high school, Mantle did not instantly live up to the hype. He began slowly in his new position—right field—and was sent back to the minor leagues.

Mantle was shifted to center field when Joe DiMaggio retired from the Yankees after the 1951 season. He started to adjust to big-league play, and in year 1952 he hit 23 home runs with an average of 0.311 and 87 RBIs. New York Yankees dominated throughout the late 1950s because of Mantle's presence. Consecutively they won the American League Pennant from year 1955 to 1958, in 1956 and 1958 they won the World Series. In year 1956 Mantle became a true superstar as he won baseball's Triple Crown (130 RBIs, 52 home runs and a batting average of 0.353). He was also chosen as the American League's MVP. In year 1957 he played with a batting average of 0.364 and was again chosen as the leagues Most Valuable Player.

In year 1959 Yankees lost their winning momentum as they lost the pennant to the Chicago White Sox, the team bounced back strongly and kept their winning momentum for next 5 seasons, joined by new players such as Bobby Richardson, Tony Kubek, Roger Maris and Bill Skowron.

Mickey Mantle won a Triple Crown, 3 MVP awards and 4 home-run championships in his eighteen-year career with the New York Yankees.