THE COPACABANA INCIDENT

May 16, 1957. 

One of the most well-documented and reported stories about Mickey Mantle's antics off the field involves the infamous "Copacabana incident" of 1957. This event encapsulates the wild side of Mantle's life, involving drinking, rowdy behavior, and his notorious teammates. That night at the Copa was the Mick, Whitey Ford, Billy Martin, Hank Bauer, Yogi Berra and Johnny Kucks. Sammy Davis Jr. was the headliner.

The Yankees had just played a game against the Kansas City Athletics earlier that day. In celebration of Billy Martin's birthday, several Yankees players and their wives decided to go out for a night on the town, choosing the Copacabana, a popular nightclub, as their destination. The night took a wild turn as the players consumed copious amounts of alcohol.

As the evening progressed, the group found themselves embroiled in a brawl with some patrons from a nearby table. These patrons were reportedly members of a bowling team who had been heckling singer Sammy Davis Jr., who was performing that night. The Yankees players took offense to the derogatory remarks and a physical altercation ensued.

So, what happened? Some consequences. The incident garnered significant media attention and became a public relations nightmare for the Yankees. 

Yankees’ management, led by General Manager George Weiss, was furious. Billy Martin, who was considered a troublemaker, was traded to the Kansas City Athletics shortly after the incident. Other players faced fines, but the exact amounts and internal disciplinary actions were not always publicly disclosed. The New York newspapers had a field day with the story, which dominated the sports pages for weeks.

Mickey Mantle's image as a hard-drinking, fun-loving player was cemented. Despite the incident, Mantle continued to be a fan favorite and a highly productive player on the field. The incident highlighted the wild and rebellious culture within the Yankees clubhouse during that era, particularly among Mantle, Ford, Martin, and other players known for their nightlife escapades.

This story remains one of the most colorful and frequently recounted episodes in the history of Mickey Mantle and the New York Yankees, encapsulating the intersection of sports, celebrity, and scandal during the 1950s.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

30th ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE TO #32 AND #9

Thirty years ago this month, the Yankees honored two legends by retiring their numbers and erecting plaques for them in Monument Park. Of course, I am speaking about #32, Elston Howard and #9, Roger Maris. Both of these men symbolized grit and determination, overcoming tremendous odds to bring World Series titles to the New York Yankees.

Elston Howard joined the Yankees in the spring of 1955 to become the first African-American player in the franchise. Even though Jackie Robinson had broken baseball’s color barrier eight years prior, it was not as if those that followed received a warm welcome. I cannot bring myself to put into print the comments made by his manager and some of his contemporaries about him when he joined the team. Suffice to say that he did not walk into a warm, fuzzy, supportive environment.

His next obstacle was the fact that there was no room for him on the field. He came up as a catcher, yet no one was going to play him in place of Yogi Berra, the reigning American League MVP. Without a DH rule, the only place to put him was in the outfield, occasionally spelling Mickey Mantle and Hank Bauer. None of this stopped him, as he made the All-Star team in 1957 without a main position in the field. He would be named to every American League All-Star team through 1965.

Howard would help the Yankees reach the World Series nine times as a player, winning four of them. He was the American League MVP in 1963 - the first African-American player to win the honor. He was a lifetime .274 hitter with 167 home runs and a .427 slugging percentage. Even more than his bat, his play behind the plate was stellar. He had a career fielding percentage of .992, despite the fact that he played significant time as an outfielder and first baseman. The fact that he only has two gold gloves as a catcher is quite surprising.

Howard went on to coach for the Yankees during the 70's. Many of those that played under him noted his leadership and his skill at mentoring young players. He famously blocked Reggie Jackson  in the dugout in Fenway Park, keeping him from clobbering Billy Martin, and encouraging Jackson to exercise better judgment.

Roger Maris was a teammate Elston Howard's between 1960 and 1966. He also encountered turbulence during his time with the Yankees. In his first season with the Yankees, he led the league in RBI and slugging, won a Gold Glove, was named to the All-Star team, and was the American League MVP. So what was the problem? Like many future Yankee stars, like Rickey Henderson and Randy Johnson, he failed to endear himself to the New York media. His accomplishments got brief mentions, and his failures got lots of press. As it was wonderfully documented in the movie 61*, he was pitted against teammate Mickey Mantle over the race for who would break Babe Ruth’s record.

Despite all the pressure on him, in 1961 he succeeded on hitting 61 home runs in a season, still his most famous accomplishment. He also became the American League MVP for the second consecutive year, leading the league in HRs, Runs, RBI, and Total Bases. After a few years, his injuries finally caught up with him and it affected his playing time. The press had a field day with him. By the time he left the Yankees, he was convinced that he was a hated man in New York.

It was not until 1978, when the Yankees invited him to join in the hoisting of the 1977 World Series banner, that he got the hero’s welcome that was long overdue. By his own admission, he was not sure how the fans would react. The loud cheers welcomed him back, and he became a regular in the next few Old Timer’s games.

Elston Howard was diagnosed with myocarditis in 1979, He passed away on December 14, 1980, at the age of 51. Roger Maris was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1983. For the 1984 Old Timer’s Game, the Yankees made a great decision to honor both of these men for their contributions to the franchise. On July 21, 1984, with Roger Maris in attendance, numbers 32 and 9 were retired and plaques were erected in Monument Park for these two men. The timing could not have been better for Maris, who died just 17 months after the event.

It has been 30 years now, and maybe this is a good time to reflect. We do not honor them just because of their accomplishments. We honor them because of the fact that they did so under severe duress. Both of these men were attacked by their own. People who considered themselves strong loyalists to the team and loyalists to the values that they thought the team represented verbally harassed them. None of it was fair. Yet there is no record of them retaliating, or responding untowardly. They went about doing their job, doing it with class and excellence, and accumulating a few World Series Rings, MVPs, and Gold Gloves along the way. For that, I tip my hat to them.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

DON LARSEN TALKS TO BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE

It's not every day that you get to talk to a living legend.  If you're Al Malafronte of Cirillo World Public Relations, you just scored big time! Al, a friend of Bleeding Yankee Blue was nice enough to sit down with Don Larsen on our behalf and ask him a few questions about life around his 1956 Perfect Game.  But there's other news...he was at the Yogi Berra Museum on Monday with Yogi Berra himself auctioning off his jersey worn during that perfect game, read HERE. The reason? To help out his grandchildren, currently in high school and college. He's giving back to his family and to be honest, you can't beat this!

So here's that short interview with the great Don Larsen. A special thanks to Al Malafronte, to Cirillo World Public Relations and to Brandon Steiner, the author of the new book "You Gotta Have Balls" who was also involved with this event. You can read all about Mr. Steiner HERE, we love the guy!  But now, I bring you Don Larsen. Enjoy this, I did.

BYB: When you pitched your Perfect Game in the '56 World Series, when did it start to click that you really had a shot at a Perfect Game?

Don Larsen: "I had mentioned it to Mantle at the end of the 7th inning, 'Mick, look at the scoreboard.' Wouldn't it be something? 2 more innings to go, I'm thinking, I shouldn't have said anything!"

(In photo: Hank Bauer)
BYB: Which Yankee were you closest to during your playing days with the Yankees club?

Don Larsen: "Probably Hank Bauer, and also Moose Skowron who we've lost. They were great teammates."

BYB: What is the best part of forever being known as "the guy" who threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series?

Don Larsen: "That's one of those things I'll never forget with Yogi and I. What it meant to us then, and what it'll mean to us as time goes on; it'll never be forgotten."

Again, a special thanks to Al Malafronte and of course Don Larsen.  Also I want to mention "Perfect Pitch", a charity named in Mr. Larsen's honor.  For more information about "Perfect Pitch", you can visit their website by just clicking HERE.



Don Larsen Perfect Pitch HRD Introduction from Perfect Pitch HRD on Vimeo.

Here's alittle background: "Perfect Pitch," is a not for profit organization and all funds go directly to mentally and physically challenged children, sports programs for disadvantaged children, and special Scout troop #364.

We will be placing "Perfect Pitch" on our website next to all the other great charities we love!

We hope the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers enjoyed this. It was an honor to have Mr. Larsen and "Perfect Pitch" be part of the BYB family.  Thank you.

 

RELIVING YANKEE TOUGHNESS AND HOW IT TRANSLATES TODAY

In May of 1957, several Yankee players went out on the town to celebrate Billy Martin's 29th birthday. A mix of players and wives were in the entourage of celebrants that wound up at famous New York hot spot, the Copacabanna at 10 East 60th Street. Yogi Berra's wife, Carmen, had ordered a cake for the occasion, and she made the point that this was Billy's last chance to celebrate before he gets old!

The pastry chef at the Waldorf baked Billy's cake, and Martin was toasted frequently during and after the birthday dinner.  The revelers had already made a couple of additional stops before arriving at the Copa for the late show that featured Sammy Davis, Jr.   A couple of the Yankees might have already arrived at what Casey Stengel called "whiskey slick" status.  

Something happened that night that still remains unclear 55 years later. Also in the club that evening were several members of an upper Manhattan bowling club, one or more of whom got too smart with the Yankee players and/or made racially disparaging remarks directed at Sammy Davis. Whatever took place, the Yankee party that included Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Hank Bauer, Whitey Ford, Martin, and Johnny Kucks took exception.

 

Both groups adjourned to the cloak room to settle their differences. Mantle testified later in the subsequent grand jury proceedings in June of 1957, that the victim came flying out and landed at his feet. Mantle thought it was Martin and picked him up. (Read HERE.) Upon seeing that it was not Martin, Mickey dropped the unfortunate fellow back on the floor. Mickey testified in court that the gentleman looked like "Roy Rogers rode through the Copa on Trigger and Trigger kicked the guy in the face."

Courtroom witnesses reported that the grand jury members were still laughing when charges were dismissed against suspected culprit, and highly decorated ex-Marine, Hank Bauer. The Copa six, as that group of players came to be known, were part of a four year run from 1955 through 1958 when the Yankees managed to win four consecutive American League pennants and two World Series.

While Bauer, Mantle, Ford, and Martin may have been world class party boys, they were also world class baseball players and laid it on the line every single game.  Manager Casey Stengel said to Hank Bauer, "You gave 110 percent every time you were in the lineup."  Stengel also referred to Bauer as one of his three best players in 1957.  Mickey Mantle was at the pinnacle of his success.  Mantle won the AL MVP award in both 1956 and 1957, and baseball's Triple Crown in 1956 with a 52HR, 130RBI and .353BA year!

In spite of how history has sullied the reputations of these Yankee players, especially Mantle, it is clear to me that the group's bonhomie and "hail fellow well met" approach to life enhanced, rather than hindered, their baseball performance.  (Read HERE.)  

The purpose of rehashing this story is to point out qualities possessed by the Copa six and other Yankees of that era that are seemingly missing on the 2012 squad.  I know the social mores have changed; I have lived through the changes that have occurred since the mid-1950's, but the 2012 Yankees have not shown anything like the toughness and camaraderie of that mid-fifties group.

When I watch Robinson Cano stroll to first base on ground balls, I certainly don't hearken back to the Yankees of the 50's and 60's.  Mickey Mantle, bad knees and all, busted his butt down the first base line almost every time.  The one time he failed to run hard on a ground ball in 1960, it was a national story.  Mantle was pulled from the lineup and publicly rebuked by Stengel.  We sure don't see that kind of behavior from the current Yankee manager when Cano loafs to first.

I have also noticed there are no war vets like Bauer and Jerry Coleman on the 2012 Yankees; There are no military vets at all, as far as I know.  Henry Albert "Hank" Bauer was a genuine WWII hero.  Bauer fought at Guadalcanal and Okinawa.  He earned eleven campaign ribbons, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts during his 32 months of Pacific Theatre combat.  In a desperate fight with the Japanese at Okinawa, Bauer commanded a Marine unit of 64 men.  Only six, including a badly wounded Bauer, survived.

Does anyone really think Hank Bauer could survive that ordeal and not acquire some real leadership skills?  I know society has changed and we will likely never see the Bauer, Mantle, Martin type of players again.  Hard scrabble lives make men tough, video games and cell phones, not so much!  Even so, there is no excuse for failing to face reality and doing your job as well as it can be done.  Today's baseball players are nothing like the men who played the game in post-war America. 

Whereas Yankees like Bauer, Berra, and Martin showed a fighting spirit, real leadership skills, and a strong bond as friends and teammates, the current squad of Yankees has not even demonstrated a sense of urgency during their extended baseball slump and funk.  Manager Joe Girardi seems to spend a lot of his time rationalizing and apologizing for the poor play of his team.  In fact, all we have heard from today's Yankee manager and players are platitudes, excuses, and rationalizations.  These are not good vibes if you are a Yankee fan hoping for more from this team.  Maybe it's just the sign of the times, who knows, but I do find it interesting.

Maybe the modern Yankees need to return to the rich Yankee tradition of a strongly bound team as a first step toward recovery.  Maybe somebody needs to exert some real leadership skill in the clubhouse.  Maybe somebody needs to throw a birthday party, bake a cake, go out to dinner, have some fun.  Maybe the Yankees should have a drink, loosen up a bit and stop trying to protect those well developed corporate images.  Light a fire!  Play some hardball baseball!  Hey... just an observation... it's my take. What do you think? Comment.

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW, DROB WEARS ONE! Also, Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

REMEMBERING ANDY CAREY 1931-2011

To many of you, Andy Carey is just another name. To my friend David, and too many fanatical Yankee fans, he was a very special ballplayer. Andy Carey was part of the New York Yankees in the 1950's, a third baseman and batted in a lineup consisting of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Moose Skowron and Hank Bauer. He was part of teams that won 4 American League Pennants and 2 World Series Championships... not too shabby.

Andy Carey was a very special New York Yankee and in 1954, he had his best season, batting .302 in 122 games. Yesterday's New York Times had a special nugget about Carey that I didn't know. It reads:

"Carey played a key role in one of baseball’s landmark games. He twice helped preserve the only perfect World Series game, pitched by Don Larsen against the Dodgers on Oct. 8, 1956. In the second inning, the Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson smacked a shot between third and short that Carey knocked down, allowing Yankees shortstop Gil McDougald to pick up the ball and nip Robinson at first. In the eighth, he robbed Gil Hodges by snaring a low line drive that seemed headed for left field."
Sadly, Andy Carey died at the age of 80 of Lewy body dementia. It's a sad day in Yankee baseball. It's a sad day for my friend David as well. For me personally, it was important we gave Andy a place in Bleeding Yankee Blue memory, for all you guys who remembered him and for all you young fans who are about the learn about him. Thanks for the memories Andy, our prayers are with your family.

A salute to Andy Carey.

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

TOP 10 YANKEE TRADES OF ALL TIME: 5 TO 1

#5. Tino Martinez

Traded by Seattle Mariners along with Jim Mecir to Yankees for Russ Davis and Sterling Hitchcock on December 7, 1995. Martinez was a Yankee from 1996-2001, 2005.

Regular season numbers: .279 Avg, 175 Hrs, 690 RBI, .837 OPS
Postseason numbers: 317 PA's, .247 Avg, 8 Hrs, 32 RBI, .715 OPS
Accolades: Four World Series rings ('96, '98-'00), 1997 All Star

After the retirement of Don Mattingly, the Yankees needed a first baseman, so they reached out to the Seattle Mariners and acquired Tino Martinez. Martinez was a rock at first base for the Yankees during their dynasty years, and overall he wasn't great in the postseason for the Yankees, but he had some pretty big hits, and was a team leader for a long time which can't be shown on a stat sheet.

Also included in the trade by the Mariners was setup man Jeff Nelson who played a huge role out of the bullpen during the Dynasty years.

#4. Alex Rodriguez

Traded by Texas Rangers to Yankees for Alfonso Soriano on February 16, 2004. Yankees sent Joaquin Arias on April 23, 2004 to Rangers to complete trade. Yankee from 2004-present.

Regular season numbers: .295 Avg, 284 Hrs, 903 RBI, .941 OPS
Postseason numbers: 242 PA's, 260 Avg, 10 Hrs, 33 RBI, .868 OPS
Accolades: One World Series ring ('09), Two MVP's ('05, '07), Three Silver Sluggers ('05, '07-'08), Seven time All Star ('04-'08, '10-'11).

I know a lot of Yankee fans want ARod out, but you can't deny the fact that trading for ARod has ended up being a win for the Yankees. Sure he's struggled in the postseason (outside of 2009), and that's why he's not higher on this list, but he's provided a ton of value along the way. And heck, the guy was willing enough to move to third base so Jeter could stay at shortstop. He's a team player and he tries to do his best to win, and that's all you can ask for.

#3. Sparky Lyle

Traded by Boston Red Sox with Danny Carter to Yankees on March 22, 1972 for Mario Guerrero on June, 30 1972 to complete trade. Lyle was Yankee from 1972-1978.

Regular season numbers: 57-40, 2.41 ERA, 141 saves, 1.94 K/BB
Postseason numbers: 10 games, 3-0, 1.89 ERA, 1 save, 8 K/BB
Accolades: Two World Series rings ('77-'78), 1977 Cy Young Winner, Three time All Star ('73, '76-'78).

The Red Sox trading Sparky Lyle is just another reason why they were deserving of their 86 year curse. What a stupid, stupid move to trade one of your better pitchers (2.85 ERA and 69 saves for the '67-'71 Red Sox) to your most hated rival. Oh well, there's nothing they can do about it and it's awesome. Lyle won the 1977 Cy Young as closer for the Yankees, and guess what? The Yankees signed Goose Gossage, thus Lyle wasn't full-time closer the next year. Tough league.

#2. Roger Maris

Traded by Kansas City Athletics to Yankees along with Joe DeMaestri and Kent Hadley for Hank Bauer, Don Larsen, Norm Siebern, and Marv Throneberry on December, 11, 1959. Maris was Yankee from 1960-1965.

Regular season numbers: .265 Avg, 203 Hrs, 547 RBI, .872 OPS
Postseason numbers: 119 PA's, 187 Avg, 5 Hrs, 10 RBI .624 OPS
Accolades: Two World Series rings ('61-'62), Two MVP's ('60-'61), One Gold Glove ('60), Three time All Star ('60-'62).

I know Maris didn't have the greatest numbers, but what puts him so high on this list is because of what he meant to the game of baseball. I mean, c'mon, the guy set the home run record in 1961 which was previously held by Babe Ruth for 34 seasons. His home run race between teammate Mickey Mantle in '61 was epic. I know I wasn't alive to see it, but I could just imagine it. Just imagine if that happened in today's game. The media would be all over it. Well, technically it did. I mean, if you count the race between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1998 and 1999. But those guys cheated the game. Maris didn't, he played the game the right way. Barry Bonds currently holds the home run record at 73 set in 2001. But to me, Maris should have the record. Like Sosa and McGwire, Bonds is connected to the performance enhancing drugs situation, thus cheating the game. It's a shame that they did that while Maris played the game steriod free.

#1. Babe Ruth

Sold by Boston Red Sox to Yankees for $100,000 on January 3, 1920. Ruth was Yankee from 1920-1934.

Regular season numbers: .349 Avg, 659 Hrs, 1971 RBI, 1.195 OPS
Postseason numbers: 155 PA's, .347 Avg, 15 Hrs, 30 RBI, 1.282 OPS
Accolades: Four World Series rings ('23, '27-'28, '32), One MVP ('23), Two time All Star ('33-'34)

I know, I know, Babe Ruth wasn't technically traded, but this was Boston's worst move they've ever made in the history of their franchise. After all, this is a Yankee blog, so I'm sure all of you are willing to kick some more dirt on this Boston blunder. This move set the Red Sox back 86 years before their World Series in 2004, and it was in everyone's mind along the 86 year ride. Anyways, look at what Ruth did with the Yankees. Check out his Baseball Reference page HERE and see how many times he led the league in a particular category. It's pretty mind blowing. What's also mind blowing is that he only won one MVP award. Why is this? Was this the start of the supposed Anti-Yankee attitude across Major League Baseball? It very well could have been. He won the MVP in 1923 hitting .393 while leading the league in homers (43), RBI (131), and OPS (1.309), among many other categories. But remember, that wasn't his historic 1927 season in which he smashed 60 homers to set the then single season home run record. He didn't win the MVP that year, his teammate Lou Gehrig did. Gehrig had a great 1927 season, but Ruth was well, Ruthian. Ruth's line in '27 looked like this:

.356/.486/.772/1.256 Avg/OBP/Slug/OPS, 60 Hrs, 164 RBI

The only stats that he didn't lead the league in were average and RBI. But let's be honest, if someone in today's game did something like what Ruth did in '27 all of Twitter, Facebook, the message boards on all of the sports sites, and even BYB would explode if that player didn't in the MVP, and I mean it. Either way, Ruth was an incredible steal of all time and we'll never see anything like it again, you can count on that.

We hope you enjoyed this list and just so you get the whole list in 1 post, we will be re-posting the whole list over the weekend so it’s easier to eyeball.

--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer