Editing Mickey Mantle (section)

===Major leagues (1951–1968)===
====Rookie season: 1951====
[[File:Mickey Mantle 1951.jpg|thumb|left|Mantle as a 19-year-old rookie in 1951|alt="Black and white profile photograph of a young, clean-shaven, smiling man in New York Yankees pinstripes and cap, looking slightly to his right."]]

Mantle was invited to the Yankees instructional camp before the 1951 season and proceeded to make a big impression during spring training. One famous incident was when he hit two home runs at [[Bovard Field]] against the [[USC Trojans baseball|USC Trojans baseball team]], when the Yankees were on a thirteen-game spring training tour of the west coast. Both home runs, one from each side of the plate, reportedly traveled a distance of at least 500 feet.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holmes |first1=Baxter |title=The home run that launched the myth of Mickey Mantle |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2011-mar-25-la-sp-0326-mickey-mantle-20110326-story.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 25, 2011}}</ref> Impressed by the 19-year-old's power, Yankees manager [[Casey Stengel]] decided to promote Mantle to the majors as a [[right fielder]] instead of sending him to the minors; his salary for the 1951 season was $7,500.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/53868175/?terms=%22signed%2Bby%2Byankees%22 |title=Signed By Yankees |newspaper=[[The Brooklyn Eagle]] |date=September 24, 1950}}</ref> Mantle was assigned uniform No. 6, signifying the expectation from the Yankees front office that he would become the next Yankees star, following [[Babe Ruth]] (No. 3), [[Lou Gehrig]] (No. 4), and [[Joe DiMaggio]] (No. 5).<ref name=sabr-mantle/>

After a brief slump, Mantle was sent down to the Yankees' top farm team, the [[Kansas City Blues (American Association)|Kansas City Blues]]. His struggles at the plate continued.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Millstein |first1=Gilbert |title=Young Mickey Mantle finds baseball is more than ball-swatting |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1951/06/03/archives/young-mickey-mantle-finds-baseball-is-more-than-ballswatting-by.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 3, 1951 |url-access=subscription |via=TimesMachine}}</ref> Out of frustration, he called his father and told him: "I don't think I can play baseball anymore." Mutt Mantle drove up to [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] that day. When he arrived, he started packing his son's clothes and, according to Mantle, said: "I thought I raised a man. I see I raised a coward instead. You can come back to Oklahoma and work the mines with me." After his father's rebuke, Mantle gradually broke out of his slump and went on to hit .361 with 11 home runs and 50 RBIs during his stay in Kansas City.<ref name=sabr-mantle/>

Mantle was called up to the Yankees after 40 games with Kansas City, this time wearing uniform No. 7. He hit .267 with 13 home runs and 65 RBI in 96 games as the Yankees reached the World Series against the [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]].<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 226–228.</ref> In the second game of the [[1951 World Series]], Giants rookie [[Willie Mays]] hit a fly ball to right-center field. Mantle, playing right field, raced for the ball together with center fielder DiMaggio. At the last moment, the latter called for the ball. In attempting to stay out of DiMaggio's way, Mantle's spikes got caught over an exposed drain pipe. His knee twisted awkwardly and he fell instantly, his right knee injured severely. Mantle had to be carried off the field on a stretcher. This was the first of numerous injuries that were to plague his eighteen-year career with the Yankees. He was to play the rest of his career with a torn [[anterior cruciate ligament]] (ACL).<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 32–37, 109.</ref>

Accompanying his son to the hospital after the game, Mantle's father collapsed onto the sidewalk while trying to help his son into a taxi. The two were given hospital beds in the same room and watched the remainder of the World Series together. Mutt Mantle was diagnosed with [[Hodgkin's disease]]; he died a few months later at the age of 40, on May 7, 1952.<ref name=sabr-mantle/> Mantle, at the time away with the Yankees, was informed by manager Stengel of his father's death and was inconsolable.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 78–79.</ref>

====Rise to stardom: 1952–1960====
[[File:1954 Bowman Mickey Mantle.jpg|thumb|right|160px|[[Bowman Gum|Bowman]]'s Mantle [[trading card]], 1954|alt="Baseball card of a young, clean-shaven man in New York Yankees grey uniforms and cap smiling straight ahead."]]

Following the 1951 World Series, DiMaggio retired from baseball. As a result, Mantle moved to center field before the start of the 1952 season.<ref>{{cite news |author=Burr, Harold |url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52819187/?terms=%22mickey%2Bmantle%2Binherits%2Bbaseball%27s%2Bbiggest%2Bjob%22 |title=Mickey Mantle Inherits Baseball's Biggest Job |newspaper=[[The Brooklyn Eagle]] |date=December 16, 1951}}</ref> He played that position full-time for the Yankees until 1965, when he was moved to left field near the end of his career.<ref name="Player Stats"/> That year, Mantle was selected as an [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] for the first time but did not make an appearance in the rain-shortened [[1952 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Paul |first1=Doutrich |title=July 8, 1952: A wet All-Star Game at Shibe Park |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/july-8-1952-a-wet-all-star-game-at-shibe-park/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref> The Yankees won the pennant and faced the [[1952 Brooklyn Dodgers season|Brooklyn Dodgers]] in the World Series.<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 230–234.</ref> Mantle performed well in the series, recording an on-base percentage above .400 and a slugging percentage above .600. In Game 6, he homered in a 3–2 win. In Game 7, he knocked in the winning runs in the 4–2 victory, with a home run in the sixth inning and an RBI [[single (baseball)|single]] in the seventh.<ref name="Player Stats"/>

Mantle's emergence as a star center fielder coincided with the [[Korean War]]. Due to his previous rejection, he was not amongst the baseball players who joined the Armed Forces, leading baseball fans and sportswriters to question his [[Selective Service System#Classifications|4-F deferment]]. This led to newspapers even calling him a "draft dodger" and Mantle receiving threatening letters.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 105, 193.</ref> In April 1951, Mantle was re-examined by the draft board and was once again rejected as being physically unfit for military service.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mantle Rejected Again by Army |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-mantle-rejected/75379681/ |work=[[Brooklyn Eagle]] |agency=United Press |date=April 13, 1951}}</ref> A second highly publicized physical, brought on by his [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] selection, was held in October 1952 and ended in a final rejection, this time due to the knee injury sustained in the [[1951 World Series]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19521104&id=noQtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=w5sFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3517,1614208 |date=November 15, 1952 |newspaper=[[Reading Eagle]] |title=Mickey Mantle is Rejected by the Army for Third Time |agency=United Press}}</ref>

Mantle had a strong 1953 season, making the All-Star Game and helping the Yankees to another World Series, which they won against the [[1953 Brooklyn Dodgers season|Brooklyn Dodgers]].<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 235–238.</ref> He missed several weeks due to his previously injured knee which had been left untreated after the initial stay in hospital in 1951. After the season ended, a full two years after the injury he had picked up at the 1951 series, Mantle had surgery performed on his left knee in November 1953.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 109–111, 114–115.</ref> The following season, Mantle recorded his first 100-RBI season while also hitting over .300 and leading the league in runs scored. He had a strong season in 1955 as well, leading the AL in home runs, [[triple (baseball)|triples]], and walks, and recording a .306 batting average.<ref name="Player Stats">{{cite web |title=Mickey Mantle Career Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mantlmi01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

The 1956 season was, statistically, Mantle's greatest and was later described by him as his "favorite summer."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mantle |first1=Mickey |title=My Favorite Summer 1956 |year=1992 |publisher=Island Books |isbn=978-0440212034 |url=https://archive.org/details/myfavoritesummer00mant}}</ref> He led the majors with .353 batting average, 52 home runs, and 130 RBIs, winning the [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]], the only switch hitter to do so. This was the first of three AL MVP Awards.<ref name="mvp">{{cite web |title=MLB Most Valuable Player MVP Award Winners |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/mvp.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> He also hit his second All-Star Game home run that season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cohen |first1=Alan |title=July 10, 1956: The Kid, The Man, the Say Hey Kid, and the Commerce Comet shine at All-Star Game |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/july-10-1956-a-tale-of-the-kid-and-the-man-and-the-say-hey-kid-and-the-commerce-comet/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref> That year, the Yankees again faced the [[1956 Brooklyn Dodgers season|Brooklyn Dodgers]] in the [[1956 World Series|World Series]]. In the fifth inning of Game 5, Mantle kept [[Don Larsen's perfect game]] alive by making a running catch of a deep fly ball off the bat of [[Gil Hodges]]. The inning before, he had scored the first of the Yankees' two runs with a home run off Brooklyn starter [[Sal Maglie]].<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 249–253.</ref> Mantle's overall performance in 1956 led to his being named [[Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Associated Press Athlete of the Year Award |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_apr.shtml |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref> and he was also awarded the [[Hickok Belt]] as the top American professional athlete of the year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hickok Belt winner: Mickey Mantle (1956) |url=http://hickokbelt.com/winners/past-winners/winners/mickey-mantle/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918033832/http://hickokbelt.com/winners/past-winners/winners/mickey-mantle/ |archive-date=September 18, 2012 |website=[[Hickok Belt]]}}</ref>

[[File:Mickey mantle signing autograph.jpg|left|thumb|Mantle signing an autograph in the early 1960s|alt="Two young men, one blond and one and one in a cap standing next to each other while the blond man signs an item for the other man."]]

Mantle won his second consecutive MVP in 1957, leading the leagues in runs scored and walks and recording a career-high batting average of .365, second best in the AL.<ref name="mvp"/> That season, Mantle reached base more times than he made outs (319 to 312), one of two seasons in which he achieved the feat.<ref name="Player Stats"/> In the [[1957 World Series]], the Yankees faced the [[1957 Milwaukee Braves season|Milwaukee Braves]].<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 254–257.</ref> During Game 5, Mantle suffered a torn tendon in his left shoulder from a collision with Braves second baseman [[Red Schoendienst]].<ref name=red-mickey>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5ShRAAAAIBAJ&pg=6955,622393|title=Injuries Hurt Yankees, Braves |newspaper=[[Lawrence Journal-World]]|date=October 9, 1957|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The Braves won the series in seven games and the injury would lead to Mantle having struggles in his uppercut swing from the left side for the remainder of his career.<ref name=red-mickey/>

Still recovering from his shoulder injury, Mantle's 1958 season started slowly; during the first half, he was hitting a modest .274. He eventually regained his form, hitting .330 in the second half of the season, finishing with .304 batting average and leading the league in home runs, runs scored, and walks.<ref name="Player Stats"/> He led the Yankees back to a World Series rematch against the Braves, this time coming out victorious.<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 258–261.</ref> Despite his strong season, the Yankees declined Mantle's request for a contract raise to $85,000, citing that his batting average was almost 61 points lower than the year before. After briefly holding out, Mantle eventually settled for their lower offer of $70,000.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGowen |first1=Roscoe |title=Ford Says Yanks Want to Cut His Pay $8,000; Mantle Out for an Increase |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1959/01/22/archives/ford-says-yanks-want-to-cut-his-pay-8000-mantle-out-for-an-increase.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 22, 1959 |via=TimesMachine |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In the 1959 season, as the Yankees finished third in the AL rankings, Mantle's overall numbers declined from the previous season. He recorded only 75 RBIs and also racked up a league-leading 126 strikeouts. Though he led the team in base stealing (23), runs scored (104), on-base percentage (.390), and fielding percentage (.995), Mantle agreed to take a salary cut of $10,000 at the end of the season.<ref name="Player Stats"/> The 1959 season was also the first of four consecutive seasons when two All-Star games were played, with Mantle playing in seven of these games.{{efn|Major League Baseball held two All-Star Games for the years 1959–1962.<ref>{{cite news |author=Sandomir, Richard |date=July 15, 2008 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/sports/baseball/15sandomir.html?ref=sports |title=When Midsummer Had Two Classics}}</ref>}}<ref name=all-star/> Mantle made the All-Star team as a reserve player in 1959. In the first game, he was used as a [[pinch runner]] and as replacement right fielder. In the second game, Mantle was the starting center fielder, recording a single and a walk in four at-bats.<ref name=all-star/>

Mantle began the 1960 season slowly, with his batting average dropping as low as .228 in June. However, he regained his form and finished the season leading the AL in home runs and runs scored, as the Yankees won the pennant. That year, Mantle started in both All-Star games, getting two walks in the first and a single in the second.<ref name=all-star>{{cite web |title=Mickey Mantle All-Star Stats |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/playerpost.php?p=mantlmi01&ps=asg |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref> Although his batting average was the lowest since his rookie year, a league-leading 40 home runs and 94 RBIs saw him come a close second to teammate [[Roger Maris]] in the MVP race.<ref name="mvp"/> In the [[1960 World Series]] against the [[1960 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]], Mantle turned in his best performance in a single postseason.<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 266–271.</ref> In seven games, he batted .400 (10-for-25) with 9 walks, hitting three home runs with 11 RBIs and recording an on-base percentage of .545. The Yankees lost the World Series in Game 7 on [[Bill Mazeroski]]'s walk-off home run. Mantle was devastated by the loss, reportedly crying in the clubhouse afterwards. He would later call the loss in the 1960 World Series as one of the biggest disappointments of his career.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mantle |first1=Mickey |author2=Herskowitz, Mickey |title=The One That Got Away: '60 World Series a Big Disappointment to Yankees, Mantle Says in Book |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1994/06/20/the-one-that-got-away-60-world-series-a-big-disappointment-to-yankees-mantle-says-in-book/62422135007/ |work=[[The Oklahoman]] |date=June 20, 1994}}</ref>

====M&M Boys: 1961 home run chase====
[[File:M&M Boys 1961.png|thumb|[[Roger Maris]] and Mantle during the historic [[1961 Major League Baseball season|1961 season]], when they both chased Babe Ruth's home run record|alt="Two young men in New York Yankees pinstrips stand side-by-side while smiling at the camera."]]

During the [[1961 Major League Baseball season|1961 season]], Mantle and teammate [[Roger Maris]], known as the [[M&M Boys]], pursued Babe Ruth's 1927 single-season record of 60 home runs. Five years earlier, Mantle had challenged Ruth's record for most of the season, and the New York press had been protective of Ruth on that occasion. When Mantle finally fell short, finishing with 52 home runs, many reporters were relieved. The New York press was harsh in its treatment of Mantle in his early years with the Yankees, emphasizing that he struck out frequently, was injury-prone, was a rube from [[Oklahoma]], and was perceived as inferior to DiMaggio.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. xx, 190–191.</ref> Over time, however, Mantle had learned to deal with the New York media and had gained the favor of the press, receiving help from teammate [[Whitey Ford]], a native of [[Queens]].<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 187, 194.</ref>

Unlike Mantle, Maris was new to the New York scene, having been traded to the Yankees from the [[Kansas City Athletics]] before the 1960 season, and never managed to adjust to demands of the New York press, many of whom began to view him as surly and rude. During the 1961 season, the press pushed the notion of the Yankees being Mantle's team, with Maris often belittled and ostracized as an outsider and not a "true Yankee".<ref>{{cite magazine |first1=Allen |last1=Barra |title=Roger Maris's Misunderstood Quest to Break the Home Run Record |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/07/roger-mariss-misunderstood-quest-to-break-the-home-run-record/242586/ |magazine=[[The Atlantic]] |date=July 27, 2011}}</ref>

Late in the season, Mantle was hospitalized with a severe abscessing septic infection on his hip, which had resulted from a "miracle shot" that he had received from physician [[Max Jacobson]] at the recommendation of Yankees broadcaster [[Mel Allen]].{{efn|Jacobson treated a number of famous Americans including President [[John F. Kennedy]], [[Elvis Presley]], and [[Marilyn Monroe]].<ref>{{cite book|isbn=978-1620-8758-96|author1=Lertzman, Richard A.  |author2=Birnes, William J. |title=Dr. Feelgood: The Shocking Story of the Doctor Who May Have Changed History by Treating and Drugging JFK, Marilyn, Elvis, and Other Prominent Figures|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing|year=2013|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781620875896}}</ref>}}<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 210–211.</ref> It was discovered years later that Jacobson's so-called "miracle shot" was in fact laced with various substances, including [[amphetamines]] and [[methamphetamines]], and resulted in at least one death. This revelation exposed Jacobson as a fraud and he was stripped of his medical license in 1975.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jacobson Stripped of License by Unanimous Regents' Vote |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/04/26/archives/regents-vote-unanimous-jacobson-is-stripped-of-license-by-unanimous.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 26, 1975}}</ref>

While Maris went on to break the record on the last day of the season, Mantle finished with 54 home runs, the single-season record for a switch-hitter. He also led the AL in runs scored and walks. For the second consecutive year, he narrowly missed winning his third MVP award, finishing second to repeat winner Maris.<ref name="mvp"/> Under new manager [[Ralph Houk]], the Yankees won the World Series that year against the [[1961 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]]. Neither Mantle nor Maris performed well in the series, recording between them three hits and two RBIs in twenty-five at-bats over five games.<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 272–275.</ref>

====Final seasons: 1962–1968====

In 1962, Mantle batted .321 in 121 games and was selected as an All-Star for the eleventh consecutive season. He played in the first game but, due to the recurrence of an old injury, sat out the second. Despite missing 41 games, he was selected as MVP for the third time, beating out teammate [[Bobby Richardson]] in the voting.<ref name="mvp"/> With a .978 fielding percentage that season, he also received his only [[Gold Glove Award]].<ref name="Player Stats"/> In the [[1962 World Series]], the Yankees beat the [[1962 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]] in seven games. Mantle fared poorly in the series, hitting .120 with five strikeouts.<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 276–279.</ref> After the 1962 season, the Yankees gave Mantle a contract of $100,000, making him the fifth player to reach that pinnacle, after [[Hank Greenberg]], Joe DiMaggio, [[Ted Williams]], and [[Stan Musial]] <small>([[1958 Major League Baseball season|1958]] and [[1959 Major League Baseball season|1959]])</small>.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/archives/the-day-a-slumping-stan-the-man-took-a-pay-cut-from-the-cardinals/article_21065f65-be0f-5fbd-a72c-f94098042d71.html |title=The day a slumping Stan the Man took a pay cut from the Cardinals |publisher=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |date=January 21, 2021 |accessdate=March 2, 2024}}</ref> Only [[Willie Mays]], with a salary of $105,000, made more than Mantle in 1963.<ref>{{cite web |title=MLB's annual salary leaders since 1874 |url=https://sabr.org/research/article/mlbs-annual-salary-leaders-since-1874/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref> Having reached the $100,000 salary threshold, Mantle never asked for another raise.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/26/sports/sports-of-the-times-when-mantle-had-to-battle-for-a-raise.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 26, 1992 |author=Anderson Dave |title=When Mantle had to Battle for a Raise}}</ref>

On May 22, 1963, Mantle hit a long drive off the top of the right field facade at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]], the closest that anyone came to hitting a home run out of the old stadium.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1963/05/23/archives/mantles-homer-subdues-as-87-clout-in-11th-almost-clears.html|title=Mantle's Homer Subdues A's, 8-7; Clout in 11th Almost Clears Stadium|newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |last=Drebinger|first=John |date=May 23, 1963 |url-access=subscription |via=TimesMachine}}</ref> However, on June 5, he broke his foot while trying to prevent a home run by [[Brooks Robinson]] in Baltimore; his spikes had been caught in the center field [[Chain-link fencing|chain-link fence]] as he came down after leaping against it. As a result, he did not play again until August 4, when he hit a pinch-hit home run against the [[Baltimore Orioles]] at Yankee Stadium.<ref>[[#Castro|Castro]], p. 207–209.</ref> Mantle returned to the center field position on September 2 and finished the season batting .314 in 65 games. He was selected as an All-Star but, due to the foot injury, did not make the AL 25-man roster for the first time.<ref name="Player Stats"/>

That year, the Yankees made the [[1963 World Series|World Series]] and were favorites to win over the [[1963 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]]. They were swept in four games for the first time in franchise history.<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 280–284.</ref> In Game 1, Mantle struck out twice against [[Cy Young Award]] winner and National League MVP [[Sandy Koufax]], who finished with a record-setting 15 strikeouts in a World Series game. In Game 4, he hit a home run off Koufax to tie [[Babe Ruth]]'s record of 15 in the World Series. With the tying run on base in the ninth inning, he struck out against Koufax for the third time. He finished the series 1-for-15 with five strikeouts.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 261–263.</ref>

In 1964, Mantle hit .303 with 35 home runs and 111 RBIs, and played center field in the All-Star game.<ref name="Player Stats"/> He finished in second place in the MVP voting.<ref name="mvp"/> The Yankees faced the [[1964 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] in the [[1964 World Series]].<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 285–289.</ref> In the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 3, Mantle hit a walk-off home run into the right field stands at Yankee Stadium to win the game for his team by a score of 2–1. This was his 16th home run in the World Series, breaking Ruth's record of 15. He hit two more home runs in the series to set a new record of 18, including an opposite field shot off Cardinals star [[Bob Gibson]] in St. Louis, and hit .333 with 8 RBIs overall. Despite Mantle's performance, the Cardinals won the World Series in seven games behind Gibson's overall excellent pitching.<ref name="Player Stats"/>

On April 9, 1965, the [[Houston Astros]] and the Yankees played an exhibition game to inaugurate the [[Astrodome]], the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium. In the sixth inning Mantle hit the park's first home run.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Trumpbour |first1=Robert |title=Astrodome |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/park/astrodome-houston-tx/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research |quote=The first public event at the Astrodome was an exhibition game between the Astros and the Yankees on April 9, 1965. That exhibition game was arguably the most ballyhooed christening of a ballpark up to that time... Total attendance was 47,876, at the time a record for an indoor sporting event. Yankees legend Mickey Mantle began the game with a single, and in the sixth inning blasted the first indoor home run ever.}}</ref> By 1965, he and the aging Yankees were slowed by injuries, finishing sixth in the AL rankings.<ref>{{cite web |title=1965 New York Yankees Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1965.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Mantle hit .255 with 19 home runs and 46 RBI in 361 plate appearances. He was again selected as an All-Star, this time as a reserve player, and did not make an appearance in the game.<ref name=all-star/>

In 1966, Mantle's batting average increased to .288 with 23 home runs and 56 RBI in 333 at-bats. This improvement was largely due to strong performances in June and July, when he returned to his normal form until sidelined with another injury. After the 1966 season, he was replaced by [[Joe Pepitone]] in the outfield, and spent his final two seasons at [[first baseman|first base]]. On May 14, 1967, Mantle became the sixth member of the [[500 home run club]].<ref>{{cite web |title=May 14, 1967: Mickey Mantle smacks his 500th home run |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/may-14-1967-mickey-mantle-smacks-his-500th-home-run/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research |last=Wancho |first=Joseph}}</ref>

Mantle hit .237 with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs during his final season in 1968. As a result, his lifetime average was to dip below .300, which caused him a lot of anguish.<ref>{{cite web |title=Emeritus Members of the Career .300 Hitters Club (1920–2022) |url=https://sabr.org/journal/article/emeritus-members-of-the-career-300-hitters-club-1920-2022/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research |last=Krabbenhoft |first=Herm |quote=Standing outside the clubhouse with lifetime batting averages less than .300 and at least 1500 hits are 445 players... Among the outsiders is Mickey Mantle, who expressed the following: 'My biggest regret was letting my lifetime [batting] average drop below .300. I always felt I was a .300 hitter, and if I could change one thing, that would be it... But, god-damn, to think you're a .300 hitter and you end up at .237 in your last season, then find yourself looking at a .298 average — it made me want to cry.'}}</ref> That year, despite his lowly numbers, Mantle was selected as an All-Star and made an appearance as a pinch-hitter at the All-Star Game at the [[Astrodome]].<ref name="Player Stats"/>

====Retirement====

Mantle announced his retirement at the age of 37 on March 1, 1969.<ref name=retire>{{cite news |last1=Vecsey |first1=George |title=Mantle Retires from Baseball after 18 years |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/03/02/archives/mantle-retires-from-baseball-after-18-years-hitting-art-gone.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 2, 1969 |url-access=subscription |via=TimesMachine}}</ref> He delivered a farewell speech on Mickey Mantle Day, June 8, 1969, at Yankee Stadium. Mantle's wife, mother, and mother-in-law were in attendance and received recognition at the ceremony held in his honor.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vecsey |first1=George |title=61,157 Hearts Here Throb for Mantle as No. 7 Joins 3, 4 and 5 in Retirement |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/06/09/archives/61157-hearts-here-throb-for-mantle-as-no-7-joins-3-4-and-5-in.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 9, 1969 |url-access=subscription |via=TimesMachine}}</ref> When he retired, Mantle was third on the all-time home-run list with 536, and he was the Yankees' all-time leader in [[games played]] with 2,401, a record that would be broken by [[Derek Jeter]] on August 29, 2011.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Matthews |first1=Wallace |title=Derek Jeter passes Mickey Mantle |url=https://www.espn.in/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/6903829/derek-jeter-passes-mickey-mantle-new-york-yankees-leader-games-played |website=[[ESPN]] |date=August 28, 2011}}</ref>