Mickey Mantle's 1963 Statistics
| Year | Club | Games | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | K | SB | BA | SA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Yankees | 65 | 172 | 40 | 54 | 8 | 0 | 15 | 35 | 40 | 32 | 2 | 0.314 | 0.622 |
| World Series vs. | Dodgers | 4 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0.133 | 0.333 |
1963’s Facts
- $100,000 Salary
- May 22nd – Hits Yankee Stadium facade for second time (walk-off home run)
- June 4th – Broke foot trying to catch home run by Brooks Robinson
- August 4th – Pinch hit home run vs. Orioles after missing 61 games
- September 1st – Pinch hit home run vs. Orioles
- September 4th – 400th home run
- October 18th – Surgery on left knee to remove cartilage
I was 12 years old in June, 1963 when the Yankees came to Baltimore and Memorial Stadium. I had a seat in the left bleacher seats, .75 cents.
Around the 6th inning, Brooks Robinson (the future Hall of Fame third Baseman) hit a hard drive to straight away center field and Mantle raced back.
At the 410 foot mark, he leaped high for the ball. It went just inches over his glove for a homerun and Mantle came down, his cleats catching in the fence, He crumbled to the ground like a man shot – my hero was fallen. A stretcher was brought out and Mantle was carried off the field.
Two innings later, it was announced over the PA system – “Ladies and gentleman, Yankee centerfielder Mickey Mantle has a broken foot. The Yankees report that he may miss 4 to 6 weeks of play.”
After the announcement the Baltimore fans cheered. Cheered!
The next day the headlines of sports pages throughout the country proclaimed, “BALTIMORE FANS CHEER MANTLE INJURY”. In the Baltimore Sun there was a picture of Mantle on crutches and next to it an x-ray of his broken foot.
In time it was learned not only had he broken his foot but had torn cartilage in his knee which would require surgery at season’s end.
Mid- August. The Yankees came to Baltimore again. I had a $3.00 box seat this time. Mantle still wasn’t playing after eight weeks but was available to pinch hit. It was around the 8th inning and the Yankees were behind 10 – 8. Yogi Berra was on second. The Oriole pitcher was Mike McCormick – a tough veteran pitcher. There was a pause in the game as big number seven emerged from the dugout in front of me to pinch hit. He stepped into the right-handed batter’s box against the left handed McCormick. McCormick stretched and threw a fast ball down the middle. With one swing Mantle sent the ball into the left field bleachers. As Mantle limped around the bases the entire stadium gave Mick a standing ovation as if to redeem themselves. Mick’s homerun tied the game and the Yanks went on to win it. One of the most dramatic moments I have ever seen in sports.
I was a Pirate fan then & hated the Yankees because they always seemed to win. Roberto Clemente was my favorite and still is to this day. However always liked The Mick but I only ever got to see him play on TV & even that was rare back then. World Series games were all day games back then so the best you could do was see the last couple innings after school or the games on the weekend. Loved baseball back then.