Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-04

Mantle Wears
No. J, Rates No. I
BY MORRIS SIEGEL

THIS IS STORY OF hero worship. Mickey Mantle
VINO has been hero Of mine years. now has become
my absolute idol
He's my guy so much wouldn't swap dozen sx1o
color photos of Bardot for one Mantle IN buhhI o
card.
Mickey the Marvellous, still country boy despite a
dozen years in the big cities will look back on the
season as his biggest ever.
He won't win any Of the big awards this time no
batting championship no home title no runs bated
IN award, no fielding honorS Most Valuable PLAYER
trophy no player OF the year nonsense and the rest He's
won enough of them for one lifetime already
EVER SINCE ROGER MARIs hit his asterisk- favored
record Of nome runs and quickly he unable to
cope with temporary success Mantle has been coming on
ike In the personal popularity poll of the
paying patrons.
This year he finally made it, For fellow who
once could do nothing right except your brains out
30 different ways ball field Mantle now has reached
point where he do no wrong
He Is unqueStionably the fans man. He wears uniform
No. T. but among his Yankee teammates and among
players on the other teams whose hopes aspirations he
killed off year after year. Mantle always rated No. no
matter what number they put the back Of his working
clothes.
Even in Baltimore they finally admit Mantle Is tons
This is quite retreat for Baltimore Several months ago
number OF fatheads there cheered an announcement
that Mantle, who had been carried of the field in
Stretcher after cracking up with the centerfied fence
would be out for several weeks
ON SUNDAY THEY CHEERED Mantle Ironically he
finally won EN- over by hitting pinch home run that
eventually helped to whip the Orioles But the home run
had more meaning 1t wasn't Just another home run to
help the Yankee pennant drive
IL was swat off the bat Of one-legged fellow who
rose to the occasion several weeks ago in New York and
who did 1t again Sunday His first shot against the
Orioles has to rank with the dramatic moments of
baseball, right along with Bobby Thomsons 1851 clout
mat sunk the Dodgers with Babe Ruth calling his shot
with Don Larsens perfect game with any of Feller's
ptchng masterpieces with Dizzy Dean at his peak with
Lou Gehrigs fearful farewell with anything
IL mad huge hunk Of drama in It, that Sunday poke
OF several weeks ago. Mantle hadn't swung bat in anger
since breaking his foot in Baltimore The mob cheered
when they first recognized his uniform number Cheers
turned to tears Of Joy when Mantle up for the first time
In weeks, swatted his historic pinch homer
I got goose pmpes myself Just listening to the ova-
ton" Manager Ralph Houk Purple Heart hero of World
War II, said
EVER SINCE HE JOINED the Yankees Mantle has
had continuing one-sided joust with Stadium fans
They booed him often than they applauded They
didn't know exactly why Maybe they were expecting him
to deliver miracle every time.
But they booed him He never complained in the uplv
manner OF Ted Williams IN obscene gestures Of Jim
Piersal Mantle Just kept whackng away feeling some
day he would add the fans TO his trophy room collection
He has. They've finally come to realize how much
Mantle means TO the Yankees something the Yankees
have known all along.
Nantes presence on the Yankee bench means almost
as much as his presence the field He provides lift
no other player can give II don't know what It is Micks
GOT Harry Bright says, but he inspires He's winning
guy as well as q winning player"
The last few weeks the Yankees have been trumpetnp
Ellie Howard and Bobby Richardson as outstanding cand
dates for the Most Valuable Player Award.
Now they're asking for special consideration for Mickey
They'd like to see him voted significant MVP
award; Most Vital Player. He's got my VOTE