THE YANKEES MOUNT OLYMPUS: DON MATTINGLY

With Bernie Williams now safely inside our Yankees Mount Olympus (Read HERE), it is time to provide him with company in our house of pinstripe “Gods”. 

At number 11 is one of my personal all-time favorites.  Like Williams, this player is beloved by Yankees fans, and to this day you will find men and women of all ages wearing his jersey at home games.

Don Mattingly

“Donnie Baseball” forever endeared himself to the Yankees’ empire with clutch play, both while in the field and at the plate.  

His resume as a player is impressive:

·         He is tied with Dale Long and Ken Griffey Jr. with the most consecutive games with a home run – 8.  During that streak (July 8^th through July 18^th, 1987) Mattingly hit 10 home runs (Long and Griffey hit 8 during their streaks).

·         He was a six-time All-Star

·         He has nine Gold Gloves and three Silver Slugger awards

·         He won the MVP in 1985

·         Led the league in doubles three times, hits twice and batting average once (1984)

The only thing missing from his career is a World Series title, if only because he played during one of the worst periods in the franchise’s history.  Therein is the difference between Mattingly and Bernie Williams, whose career ironically took off the year after Donnie retired.

Yet, from 1984 to 1989 he was widely considered the best first baseman in baseball, and was quite possibly the best player in the sport.

Don Mattingly led his teams with quiet confidence and class.  In that sense, he was very similar to Mariano Rivera, the quintessential professional.

Like another famous and loved first baseman that played in the Bronx generations before him,   “Donnie Baseball” was a tragic hero, as his career was cut short by back problems.  There is no telling what numbers Mattingly would have put up if he didn’t have to bow out after 14 seasons.

He did reach the post-season once – in his final year as a Yankee.  In that playoff series – a 5-game loss to the Seattle Mariners – Mattingly hit .417 with an OPS of 1.148.   Oh, what could have been!

His number 23 sits in Monument Park, never to be worn by a Yankee again.   It is a tribute to what he brought to the team and its fans during one of the club’s darkest eras.  Yet, unlike most of the other Yankees forever remembered on the plaques that adorn the hallowed ground, Mattingly does not have his place in Cooperstown even though some of his peers do. 

Perhaps one day the Veteran’s committee will see it fit to give Donald Arthur Mattingly his rightful spot alongside other greats in the Hall of Fame.  Until then, we will do what we can to push for his entry to baseball’s home of immortals.

Our efforts start with placing him alongside Bernie Williams in the Bronx house of deities.  We rank him eleventh among the “gods” in the Yankees Mount Olympus.


    
--Steve Skinner, BYB Guest Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1

 


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