WHY "IT'S THE END OF AN ERA"

 (Photo by: Bleeding Yankee Blue)

The first time I was ever at Mickey Mantle’s Restaurant was in 1999.  I was with Mikey and we went there earlier in the day to eat, have a few beers and then we trekked downtown to Madison Square Garden to see a fight.  I remember the place was packed that day and it really was like a museum.  So many amazing photos and memorabilia and just being there gave you a sense of “home”. Sure the burgers were ridiculously expensive, but I’m a baseball freak and you’re not only paying for the burger, you’re paying for the history all around you.  It was wild.

I was only back a handful more times since then because, let’s face it, once you have kids, you don’t exactly get around as much as you want.  When I read that Mickey Mantle’s Restaurant was closing it’s doors after a 25 year run (Read HERE), I felt like something was missing.  My wife called me and said “It’s the end of an era.”  She was right. 

This is a woman who really didn’t give a crap about baseball but knew I loved it and would humor me and sit in a booth at Mantles and we’d share potato skins and she’d listen to me babble on about “that jersey over there” and “this picture of the Mick here.” She’s good like that. 

 (Photo by: Bleeding Yankee Blue)

Not too many people know this but this is the plaque that is on the wall outside Mickey Mantle’s Restaurant.  I took a picture of it the last time I was there, in December.  We took a trip in to celebrate my son’s birthday, we went to Mickey Mantle’s for lunch and then we proceeded to the Museum of Natural History.   

My 8 year old said to me…”2 museums in 1 day dad? Seriously?” It’s funny what kids say, but he was right.  Sure, I went to Mantle’s for the food, but you could literally walk around that place for hours and just take all the history in.  Again, for a Yankee fanatic, it was the greatest place on earth at that moment.  

 Yup, it’s true, my wife nailed it… it is in fact an end of an era. But I guarantee you that one day when I’m old and gray, my sons will give me a ring and ask “Dad, want to go to the Core Four’s Restaurant for lunch?”  I’ll think about this moment right now… and then I’ll answer…”Let me get my coat.”

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