Well, let me tell ya ’bout this fella, Mickey Mantle. He was a big deal, you know? Born way back in 1931 in Oklahoma, Spavinaw, to be exact. His folks, Elvin and Lovell, they moved him to Commerce when he was just a little tyke. Commerce, that’s where his daddy worked in them mines, lead and zinc, I think they was.
Mickey, he was somethin’ special with a baseball. Folks say he was one of the best ever. Played all them All-Star games, 20 of ’em, can you believe it? That’s a whole lotta games, more than I can count on my fingers and toes, that’s for sure.
Now, they went and built him some statues, big ol’ things made outta bronze, I reckon. One’s in Oklahoma City, outside that ballpark, Chickasaw Bricktown, they call it. Stands right there, big as life, showin’ off how he used to hit that ball, switchin’ sides and all.
- One big statue they got for him, it’s nine foot tall! Nine foot! That’s taller than my grandson Billy, and he’s almost a man now.
- They put it outside the baseball field at Commerce High School. You can see it right from the road, Mickey Mantle Boulevard, they named it after him. Fancy, huh?
Commerce, that’s where Mickey grew up. It’s a small town, real small, but they’re mighty proud of him. They got another statue there too, showin’ off their hometown hero. They sure do love their Mickey, and why wouldn’t they? He put their little town on the map, I tell ya.
You wanna see these statues, you just gotta go to Oklahoma. The one in Oklahoma City, it’s right there at the ballpark. Easy peasy. The one in Commerce, well, that’s easy too. Just drive down Route 66, you can’t miss it. It’s right there on Mickey Mantle Boulevard.
People come from all over to see them statues, take pictures and all that. I seen some folks standin’ there just starin’ at it, like they was seein’ Mickey himself. Guess he meant a lot to a lot of folks. He was a good ball player, that’s for sure.
Now, I ain’t never seen Mickey play in person, but I heard stories. My old man, he used to listen to the games on the radio, cracklin’ and spittin’, and he’d tell me all about how Mickey hit that ball a country mile. Said he was the fastest runner too, always gettin’ on base.
So, if you’re ever drivin’ through Oklahoma, you might as well stop and see them statues. They’re somethin’ to see, I tell ya. Reminds you of a time when baseball was just baseball, no fancy stuff, just good ol’ boys playin’ a good ol’ game.
Mickey, he passed on a while back, but them statues, they’ll be there for a long time. A reminder of a fella who done good, made his town proud. And that’s somethin’ to be said for, don’t you think?
Oklahoma, that’s a good place. Friendly folks, wide open spaces, and a whole lotta history, especially baseball history. Mickey Mantle, he’s a big part of that history, and them statues, they’re a part of it too. Go on and see ’em, you won’t be disappointed.
Commerce folks are real nice. They’ll tell you all sorts of stories about Mickey, if you ask. You might even find someone who knew him way back when, before he was famous. That’d be somethin’, wouldn’t it? Hearin’ stories from someone who actually knew the man.
Anyways, that’s all I gotta say about them Mickey Mantle statues. Go see ’em if you get the chance. It’ll be worth your while, I promise you that. It’s a piece of history, a piece of America, and a whole lotta heart.
Tags: [Mickey Mantle Statue, Oklahoma, Commerce, Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, Baseball Legend, Route 66, All-Star Games, Bronze Statue, Sports History, Oklahoma City]
