* RK Review:Mickey Mantle: Rookie in Pinstripes

by Fred Glueckstein (iUniverse)

This slim volume focusing primarily on Mantle’s first year with the NY Yankees is basic enough. Glueckstein has obviously done his research quite well. Too well, it might appear, as he relishes in relaying the most minute details, such as the full name and birth dates and places of most of the players and other facts and figures. While I appreciate an author who does his homework, it comes as the expense of the narrative. For example:

The Yankees wore there traditional white pinstripes. On the left side of the buttoned-down jersey was a navy blue interlocking “NY” monogram. Their baseball caps were navy blue; an embroidered NY appeared in white lettering on the front….

Does Glueckstein believe there is anyone who would be interested in this book who doesn’t know what the team’s uniform looks life? He builds his narrative around so many facts and quotes that there seems to be little of himself coming through. There are more than 150 citations in a book that is barely 150 pages, and while he is to be commended for his determination to credit sources properly, it might have been more refreshing to hear his own take on things.

I did find of great interest that even devout Mantle finds might not have know is the hoops he had to jump through when it came to his military physicals during the Korean War. Mantle suffered from osteomyelitis as the result from a football injury which rendered him “4-F.” He had to go through three exams until the Selective Service folks finally left him alone. In a way it made sense from a public relations standpoint. After all, here’s this young, strong athlete who can hit the ball a country mile, but he can’t serve his country? Uncle Sam no doubt had to prove there was no preferential treatment.

Of all the books on The Mick, this might be the only one that focuses specifically on 1951. Whether that’s enough for the reader is an individual taste. It will be interesting to see if Glueckstein has another book in him and whether it will follow the same pattern.