Quotes from Mickey Mantle

During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times. I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times. You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at bats a season. That means I played seven years without ever hitting the ball.

My dad taught me to switch-hit. He and my grandfather, who was left-handed, pitched to me everyday after school in the back yard. I batted lefty against my dad and righty against my granddad.

A gang is where someone goes to hide.

A team is where a boy can prove his courage on his own. A gang is where a coward goes to hide.

If I had known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself!

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.

Somebody once asked me if I ever went up to the plate trying to hit a home run. I said "sure, every time".

If I knew I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself.

You never have to wait long, or look far, to be reminded of how thin the line is between being a hero or a goat.

I'll play baseball for the Army or fight for it, whatever they want me to do.

It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing all your life.

I never knew how someone who was dying could say he was the luckiest man in the world. But now I understand.

You don't know how easy this game is until you get into that broadcasting booth.")