Who was better, who would you take, Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays?

[bbsports]

If your looking at stats, it's Willie Mays. With the help of Joe DiMaggio in 1951, started a series of injuries for Mantle that carried him through his entire career. There's no telling what Mantle could have done if healthy.

[CMIZ5290]

Originally Posted by bbsports

If your looking at stats, it's Willie Mays. With the help of Joe DiMaggio in 1951, started a series of injuries for Mantle that carried him through his entire career. There's no telling what Mantle could have done if healthy.

Well said, totally agree....

[WhenItWasAHobby]

Mickey Mantle once admitted that Mays was the better of the two - or was Mickey just being overly modest?

[bfrench00]

11.2 1965 mays best season
11.3 1956 and 57, mantles best seasons

Mays a better career. mantle had more talent, just out partying too much and injury prone. mays didnt have the same off the field issues. if mantle used his head like mays, this wouldnt have been a conversation. mantle would be the BEST ATHLETE OF ALL TIME. when the mick was healthy and sober there was no one better, ever.

[sbfinley]

While you were busy assembling the case for Mays, Mantle homered twice and tore up Broadway.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by bfrench00

...mays didnt have the same off the field issues. if mantle used his head like mays, this wouldnt have been a conversation. mantle would be the BEST ATHLETE OF ALL TIME. when the mick was healthy and sober there was no one better, ever.

??? You mean if Mantle had drank less and gambled more? That would have been using his head.

[itjclarke]

Drinking/partying/injuries have to be fully taken into account when reviewing players' careers (unless the question were to specify, "who would you take at the beginning of their careers based on potential?", or "during their peak years". Mantle/Ruth and others were able to overcome their vices and have amazing HOF careers... But guys like Bobby Bonds (alcoholism), pegged as Willie Mays' heir, and countless others were not able to realize their full potential due to lifestyle/fluke injuries/death. I mean Brien Taylor might have been the next Sandy Koufax if he hadn't torn his rotator cuff in a bar brawl.

Adding- Still vote Mays.

[mr2686]

Mays had 2 mvp's and 12 gold gloves, while Mantle had 3 mvps 1 gold glove and a major league triple crown. Mays made the WS catch that took the wind out of Cleveland before they could even get going. Mantle made the WS catch to save Larson's perfect game.
I think either one would be a nice addition to your team as a centerfielder...until Paul Blair came along

[packs]

I would rather have Mickey. Besides being a great player and folk hero, he seems like he would have been fun to hang out with. Plus Willie played for the Mets rather than retire, so he doesn't have good judgement.

Edited to add I would definitely take Ken Griffey Jr. over both of them and we'd probably have a good time talking about that Simpsons episode.