Mickey Mantle was a legendary baseball player who played for the New York Yankees for 18 seasons, from 1951 to 1968. He was known for his incredible hitting ability and his impressive speed on the basepaths. But he was also known for his off-the-field antics, which sometimes got him into trouble.
One of the most famous stories about Mickey Mantle involves a bet he made with his teammate, Yogi Berra. The two were in a hotel room on a road trip, and they were bored. Mickey looked out the window and saw a sign across the street that read, "Hit it here, win a steak." The sign was advertising a restaurant that was known for its delicious steaks.
Mickey turned to Yogi and said, "I bet you I can hit that sign." Yogi, never one to turn down a bet, said, "You're on."
So Mickey grabbed his bat and walked out onto the balcony of the hotel room. He took a few practice swings, then stepped up to the edge of the balcony and looked across the street. The sign was about 250 feet away, and there were buildings and power lines in the way.
Mickey took a deep breath, then swung as hard as he could. The ball sailed across the street, over the buildings, and hit the sign dead center. The sign shook, and a few pieces of metal fell off.
Yogi couldn't believe it. "How did you do that?" he asked.
Mickey just smiled and said, "I don't know, but I'm sure hungry for that steak now."
The two walked across the street to the restaurant, and the owner, who had been watching the whole thing, was amazed. He gave Mickey and Yogi a table near the front of the restaurant and served them the best steaks they had ever tasted.
From that day on, Mickey Mantle was known as one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, and his legend only grew with each passing year. But for those who were lucky enough to know him, he was also a funny, kind-hearted man who loved to have a good time.
