THE
BUBBLE GUM INCIDENT
On
September 10, 1953, the Yankees were closing out their season series against
the White Sox in New York. With a 9-game lead in the standings and 15 games
left to play, another pennant seemed to be a foregone conclusion. Lefty
junk-baller Eddie Lopat was in command for the Yankees that day, allowing just
4 hits. In the late innings of the game—which was played on a Thursday
afternoon in front of a relatively small crowd—Mantle began blowing bubbles
from a clump of gum that was bulging from his cheek. An Associated Press photographer captured the moment on film, creating
a major stir.
Despite
his remarkable skills, Mantle had still not emerged as the eminent power threat
he was made out to be. Though many of his home runs traveled considerable
distances, he went deep just 21 times in 127 games while finishing second in
the American League in strikeouts. A handful of sportswriters questioned his
commitment to the team and accused him of not playing hard enough. The bubble
gum photo, which was printed in local newspapers across the country, made
Mantle appear as if he was slacking off.
Casey
Stengel was livid. An article published in The
Sporting News described the subsequent confrontation between the two men as
such: “[Stengel] hauled Mantle on the carpet and asked him what he thought he
was doing out there. Casey uttered about fifty dozen choice words, and Bubbles,
of course, had nothing to say except, ‘It will never happen again.’”
After
admonishing Mantle for his actions, Stengel vented his frustration to an army
of reporters, using phrases such as “juvenile silliness” and “kid stuff.”
Mantle pouted a bit, but kept quiet about the incident, which ended on a positive
note. During the early-1950s, the Bazooka and Bowman companies supplied major
league dugouts with free gum hoping to win the loyalty of players and gain
exclusive rights. Frank Scott—the agent handling Mantle’s commercial
affairs—called up Bowman and cut an endorsement deal. Ironically, it was
Bazooka gum that Mantle had been chewing in the controversial photo.
If you enjoyed this excerpt, consider picking up a copy of The Legend of the Mick, which is being released on March 1 through The Lyon Press.
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