Here's to the Commerce Comet

“After I hit a home run, I had a habit of running the bases with my head down. I figured the pitcher already felt bad enough without me showing him up rounding the bases.” – Mickey Mantle

Like many of my readers, I grew up idolizing superstar athletes (a title that is far too readily tossed around these days). Since baseball was my favorite sport and the New York Yankees were my favorite team, all my heroes tended to wear “Yankee pinstripes.”

Mel Stottlemyre, Bobby Murcer, Roy White, and Thurman Munson could do no wrong in my young eyes. I lived and died by their on-the-field performances… and where my beloved Bronx Bombers stood in the standings.

Since Mickey Mantle retired after the 1968 season and I didn’t start following Major League Baseball until 1969, I just missed watching “The Mick” patrol center field and later – after his bad knees finally gave out – first base. But from what I’ve read… and videos I’ve seen… and people to whom I’ve spoken, old #7 was the “real deal.”

Mantle clobbered 536 homeruns, including one that was estimated to have traveled 565 feet and another that came within a few feet of being the only fair ball ever hit out of Yankee Stadium, plus 18 more in the World Series. And who knows how many more he would have slugged if he had remained healthy for his entire 18-year career.

Despite all that ability and all that success, Mantle remained humble. Maybe it was his midwestern upbringing… or his mentoring by his dad Elvin Charles “Mutt” Mantle… or his tutelage under Yankees manager Casey Stengel, but Mickey refused to call attention to himself. He simply swung as hard as he could, hit the ball as far as it could travel, and then circled the bases in record speed. And yes, with his head down in true – not mock – humility.

Here's to the “Commerce Comet!”

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.” I Peter 5:6 (ESV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President