WTHBALLS CUSTOM SET SPOTLIGHT: 1960S STARS OF THE GAME: MICKEY MANTLE

On the blog today, we begin to spotlight my custom WTHBALLS Gelatin "1960 Stars of Baseball" set released back in 2018 in custom Gelatin box with lots of goodies:

We'll start off with uber-star Mickey Mantle.

The set featured 40 postcard-sized cards with cut-out player cards to mimic the Jello sets of that era.

Fun set to produce, as it even contained a packet of gelatin to complete the set!

As I have stated before here on the blog many times, Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his tenure on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

One of the great icons of the sport over its 150+ year history.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

I just wished I would have gotten to see him play!

"CLASSIC BASEBALL" CUSTOM WTHBALLS SET: MICKEY MANTLE

Today on the blog, it's high-time we add the "Commerce Comet", New York Yankee legend Mickey Mantle to my on-going custom "Classic Baseball" set, due for a multi-series release in the near future:

Just a nice clean "classic" image for the Hall of Famer and American Icon.

As I have stated before here on the blog many times, Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his tenure on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

One of the great icons of the sport over its 150+ year history.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

I just wished I would have gotten to see him play!

"MISSING IN ACTION"- 1971 MILK DUDS MICKEY MANTLE: SPECIAL RELEASE

Up on the blog today, a special release from about a year or so ago, my"missing in action" Milk Duds Mickey Mantle box, super-fun item to create and release for you all:

I was so happy to find a commercial printer that was able to produce these in the quantity I needed, at the right price!

Identical in size and card stock quality as the originals released way back when, I wanted to get a Mantle version out there just for the fun of it, imagining if the fine folks at Milk Duds celebrated his "recent" retirement with inclusion in their set which is STILL wildly popular with collectors to this day.

As I have stated before here on the blog many times, Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his tenure on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

One of the great icons of the sport over its 150+ year history.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

I just wished I would have gotten to see him play!

 

WTHBALLS "BASEBALL ICONS" SPECIAL SET: MICKEY MANTLE

The next superstar who gets a custom "Icons" card in my future custom set is the "Commerce Comet" Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees legend, making for a fun "artsy" set based on home field background art from the Golden Era of baseball:

As I have stated before here on the blog, Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his tenure on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

One of the great icons of the sport over its 150+ year history.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

I just wished I would have gotten to see him play!

Keep an eye out for this set when I release it!

 

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: A.L. OUTFIELDER MICKEY MANTLE

Today on the blog, my second American league outfielder on my 1960's All-Decade team, and it was an easy pick with Mickey Mantle, even if he put time in at first base as well towards the end of his legendary career:

Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his accomplishments on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of like a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, a Triple Crown season in 1956 and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

Though his true glory days were during the 1950s, Mantle would still take home one of his MVP trophies in the 1960s (1962), with three runner-up seasons, his only Gold Glove (1962), eight All-Star nods, and a home run title (1962).

The man became an American icon, idol for millions, and easily one of the most recognizable celebrities over the past 100 years before sadly leaving us way too soon at the age of 63 in 1995.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

1960's IN-ACTION SPECIAL: 1964 MICKEY MANTLE

Good day all!

Today on the blog, we come to my 1964 "In-Action" card for all-timer Mickey mantle, from my latest custom set released a couple months back:

Really would have been fun if Topps started using In-Action photos earlier than the 1971 set, though I do understand the limitations at the time.

Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his accomplishments on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of like a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

 

MINOR LEAGUE DAYS-LEGENDS EDITION: MICKEY MANTLE

Up on the blog today, we add the great Mickey mantle to my on-going 1971 "Minor League Days: Legends Edition", celebrating all-time greats before they made the "Big Show":

Mantle was an 18-year-old when he suited up for the Joplin Miners in 1950, absolutely tearing the cover off the ball to the tune of a .383 batting average, with 199 hits, 30 of those doubles, 12 triples and 26 homers.

The following season he moved on to the Kansas City Blues in Triple-A, where he put in 40 games and was hitting .361 before getting the call up to the Major Leagues.

As far as his Big League accomplishments?

Well, Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his tenure on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

One of the great icons of the sport over its 150+ year history.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

SPECIAL 1969 "TEAM" CEREAL EXTENSION SET: MICKEY MANTLE

Hello everyone!

Today on the blog, we have a "missing" 1969 Nabisco Team Flakes card for the great Mickey Mantle, from my upcoming custom printed cereal box "extending" the fun odd-ball set released way back when:

Would have been awesome to have a card representing the all-time great as he was closing out a magnificent Hall of Fame career.

Sure, it'd make things tough these days for guys like me that are trying to complete the original set, giving us what would have been an uber-expensive card, but heck, would have been great nevertheless!

Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his accomplishments on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of like a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

VINTAGE SPECIAL! "MISSING" 1954 WILSON'S FRANKS MICKEY MANTLE

Good day everyone!

Up on the blog this fine day, a "missing" card that would bring in a FORTUNE today had he been included in this set, a 1954 Wilson Franks Mickey Mantle card:

This would have been phenomenal had it been part of the original rare and highly sought-after oddball set.

The "Commerce Comet" is THE vintage card draw and combined with a set where commons are even high-priced tickets, this would be a gem of the 1950s.

Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his accomplishments on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of like a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class, made for the cherry on top of a career that anyone would wish for.

One of the all-time greatest to ever play the game.

 

SPECIAL REQUEST: 1970 "RETIREMENT" CARD FOR MICKEY MANTLE

By special request today on the blog, here's a 1970 "retirement" card for the great Mickey mantle, who hung them up just before the 1969 season, breaking the hearts of many a baseball fan across the country:

 

Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his accomplishments on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of like a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, a Triple Crown season in 1956 and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

SPECIAL SPOTLIGHT: "LOST" 1963 FLEER SECOND SERIES: MICKEY MANTLE

Today I start a fun new thread, profiling each card I created for my custom "Lost" 1963 Fleer set I produced a few months back, beginning with my Mickey Mantle card:

 

The set contained 22 cards, 20 "missing" 1963 Fleer cards as well as two special 1961 Fleer "Greats", Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige.

I'll profile about one a week from this set to bring them to those who didn't pick a set up when available for purchase.

Mantle was coming off his third MVP season when this card would have seen the light of day, helping the New York Yankees win another World Series, his seventh and final championship of his incredible career.

Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his accomplishments on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of like a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

TURN BACK THE CLOCK- 1967 MICKEY MANTLE HITS HIS 500TH HOME RUN

The newest “Turn Back the Clock” card in my thread is a 1977 card celebrating the 10th anniversary of the great Mickey Mantle’s 500th career home run, which occurred on May 14th of ‘67:

In the 7th inning of a Sunday game against the reigning World Champion Baltimore Orioles, Mantle slammed a two-out shot off of reliever Stu Miller to join the (then) exclusive club, on his way to a career 536 homers before he retired in the Spring of 1969.
He would top 50 homers twice during his 18-year career, along with four 40+ seasons and nine 30+ seasons, leading the league four times while also topping the Junior Circuit in runs scored five times and RBI’s once (during his Triple Crown 1956 campaign).
The 16-time all-star and three-time MVP became an American icon that still resonates today, as arguably the most popular subject in card-collecting and as beloved a New York athlete as anyone can name.

FANTASY ACTION 1971 CARD FOR MICKEY MANTLE

OK, so I guess I wasn’t completely done with my “fantasy” Mickey Mantle cards, since I wanted to create an action card for him in the set like some of those other awesome Yankee cards: White, Munson, Woods, McDaniel, etc.
So this is what I came up with and I think it came out really well:

I tried as hard as possible to get the same feel as those other cards I mentioned above, since they are all some of my favorites, and I feel some of the best action cards Topps ever produced (again, leading to the mystery of the horrid “action” cards the following few years).
Anyway, would have been special to have Mantle play into the 1970’s, padding those career numbers and giving us some more cards to hunt down and collect!

FANTASY 1972 MICKEY MANTLE "IN-ACTION" CARD

This can be called somewhat of a “Career Capper” of sorts, being that it’ll  be  the last fantasy Mantle card I create imagining if he played to about his age-40 season:

Funny enough this card serves multiple roles: career-capper, MIA MIA, missing in action, but more than anything serves as a reminder to how amazing Mantle was considering he retired at a young age yet put up numbers that made him a legend!

Heck, just two years after this card would have been issued he was elected to the Hall of Fame, cementing his God-like baseball status, and making him arguably the most popular New York Yankee of all-time, especially in the baseball-card world.

FANTASY 1972 MICKEY MANTLE CARD

OK, so here is what will be the LAST Mickey Mantle “Fantasy Card” as far as imagining if his career lasted into the 1970’s.
I WILL be creating an “In-Action” card for the ‘72 set as well in the near future, but as far as creeping further and further into the decade, this is it:

Even though “The Mick” put together a career for the ages, sure would have been nice to see what numbers he could have amassed if his body (and his vices) didn’t betray him.
Nevertheless, the man was (and is) a legend and one of the all-time favorite athletes and celebrities in New York City history!
Anyway, keep an eye out for the “In Action” card in the next week or so!

FANTASY CARD- 1971 MICKEY MANTLE

Keeping on with my fantasy thread and Mickey Mantle, here’s a 1971 Topps card for “The Mick”, just imagining if he played closer to the age of 40 than he did:

Leaving us just short of a Mantle card appearing in the 1970’s, these creations are just some fun I’m having with some players who left the game on the “early” side (think Mantle or Koufax).
I think I’ll create a 1972 Mantle card as well, but pushing it to 1973 seems a bit much.
Hope you all enjoy these as much as I do, kind of leaps out at me after a lifetime of established card-boundaries regarding certain players.

TURN BACK THE CLOCK 1956: MANTLE CAPTURES TRIPLE CROWN

We move on to 1956 for my “Turn Back the Clock” thread, and celebrate Mickey mantle’s Triple Crown season with a 20th Anniversary card for the 1976 Topps set:

Mantle had it ALL going on that season, leading the American League with 52 home runs, 130 runs batted in and a .353 batting average to bring home the trifecta.
But that wasn’t all “The Mick” had going for himself that season.
He also led the league in runs scored with 132, slugging with an awesome .705 percentage, and in total bases with what was to be a career high 376.
Easily winning the first of three MVP Awards, he would go on to become the legend everyone thought he’d be when he first came up in 1951, taking the torch from the retiring legend Joe DiMaggio.

FANTASY CARD- 1970 MICKEY MANTLE

Here’s another one of my “fantasy cards”, a 1970 Mickey Mantle card, something I always wished for as a kid:

More specifically, I always wondered what Mickey Mantle cards would have looked like had he played beyond the age of 36.
So this will be the first of a few cards (1970-1972), imaging just that, Mantle playing until he turned 40 years of age.
It’s easy for people to forget that even though he put together the 18-year Hall of Fame career he had, he was still relatively young at 36 to walk away.
But as we know injury on top of injury on top of injury had him cutting short his awesome career, even IF it was during the “dark days” of the Bronx in the late-60’s/early-70’s.
Look for some other fantasy cards like this in the near future, like Sandy Koufax among others.

TURN BACK THE CLOCK 1953: MICKEY MANTLE SENDS ONE INTO ORBIT! A 565-FOOT BLAST

Here’s a “Turn Back the Clock” card for something I was always fascinated with as a kid going through Baseball Digests and baseball history gems: Mickey Mantle’s 565-foot home run hit against the Washington Senators.
Check it out:

Mantle’s homer came off of Senators pitcher Chuck Stobbs at Griffith Stadium in Washington D.C. On April 17th of 1953.
It was THE homer that led to the phrase “Tape Measure Home Run”, since former Yankees public relations man Arthur Patterson claims to have measured where the ball landed to the edge of the stadium with an actual tape measure after retrieving the ball from a 10-year old boy.
Over the years many have claimed this story false, and that the ball could not have traveled that far.
Regardless, the monster shot hit the “Natty Boh” sign in straight-away centerfield and glanced off onto the streets behind the stadium, allegedly ina backyard on Oakdale Lane.
Many agree the ball did indeed travel about 500-feet, which is still a whopper of a homer, but it was the historical legacy the shot left behind, frequently showing up in baseball books and magazines for decades to come that made it so memorable, and added to the mythical stature of a guy named Mickey Mantle.

HALL OF FAME #25: MICKEY MANTLE: CLASS OF 1974

Well today we come to one of the most popular players ever to play ball, and his induction to the Hall of Fame, Mickey Mantle.

Here's the card I came up with:

I think the shot works well with the template, no?

Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his accomplishments on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of like a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...