Recently I read the biography, "The Last Boy, Mickey Mantle and the end of America's Childhood." I was surprised and delighted to read that Mantle, my boyhood hero, spent his last days in a home on Lake Oconee. Sadly, as this hero aged, details of his off the field antics and his alcohol abuse were revealed. Mantle spent his retirement years promoting casinos, working the baseball card and memorabilia circuit which has now crashed, and dealing with health issues regarding his alcohol abuse. His marriage was in shambles due to his extramarital exploits and drinking, his 3 sons alcoholics, and his fortune diminished. He made a living going from one corporate promotion to another, being paid a lucrative salary to hang out in bars or on the golf course. It was during those years that he met his "girl friend" who brought him to Georgia and introduced him to the developers of Harbor Point Golf Club and community. Mantle and his girlfriend shared a home there. A street is named for Mantle's son, Billy, who died as a young adult, and the golf clubhouse has a few photos of Mantle from the annual Mantle tournament. A small room has a display case of some Mantle memorabilia. It, sadly, was not much of a tribute to a great player, but somehow befitting the sign of the times. Boyhood heroes are no longer perfect, and no longer protected from the press. No, their indiscretions are a feast to the American eye which now appears to be more focused on the flaws of society rather than the achievements. The "Last Boy", a fitting title for a story that reflects the change of American society.
That eve, as Barb and I gathered in front of B and P's television to watch the World Series, a picture of Mantle was flashed on the screen. Mantle still holds many World Series records, including most home runs. It would have been his 80th birthday. Interesting coincidence.
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