Mantle Fans: A Soft Spot for Denny

Denny McLain was certainly no role model. In no way should anyone look to him as such. Think back and you will recall a long list of lapses in judgment beginning in 1970.

Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended McLain until July 1 after concluding that the Detroit pitcher had been "the victim of a confidence scheme" in 1967. These were kind words. McLain had in fact been in over his head with a bookmaking ring who roughed him up during the middle of the '67 pennant race when Denny didn't repay a debt. He was suspiciously ineffective down the stretch.

I remember his Daily News quote. McLain admitted that he had been "double dumb." McLain got in trouble for carrying a gun on a team flight, and I remember him dumping a bucket of ice water on a writer's head.

He played the organ at night clubs, cooked up business schemes, went bankrupt twice and started playing golf for $50 a hole after the family house burned down.

In 1985 he was convicted for racketeering, loan sharking and cocaine distribution. I could go on, but you get the picture.

His was a life gone awry.

In 1968, McLain was sitting on top of the world. He was on his way to arguably one of the best seasons in baseball history: 31-6 with a 1.96 ERA, MVP and Cy Young awards, and to top that off, a world championship. Hard to screw up your life after that, right?

The 1968 Yanks were barely a 500 record team and going nowhere. Mickey and Mel Stottlemyre were the only things we had to cheer about.

Mantle was in the twilight of his career, struggling through an injury-filled season, his once-great skills eroded by age and injury.

He already announced that this would be his last year as a player. McLain had been the first pitcher in 34 years to win 30 games (you will never see another 30-game winner in your lifetime), and was on his way to 31, with a six-run lead. Like most of us, Mickey was Denny's childhood hero.

Late in the game, Mantle strode to the plate for his last at bat in Detroit. We remember McLain called Freehan out to the mound. McLain said, loud enough for Mickey to hear, "Let's let him hit one."

When Freehan got back behind the plate, Mickey asked, "Hey Bill, did I hear right?"

"Yep," said Bill.

Mickey noted later that he knew Denny was a bit of a flake, and thought he was being set up. In comes a batting practice fastball...strike one!

McLain stood on the mound hands on hips. What's up, Mick?

Now Mantle knows that Denny is serious.The next pitch is also a batting practice fastball down the middle and Mickey takes a ferocious cut but can only foul it off. Strike two!

One more time and another batting practice fastball, this time Mickey swings and puts it into the upper deck for homer number 535, thus passing Jimmy Foxx for third place on the all-time list.

Going around the bases, Mickey looks over at the mound and Denny sends back a smile and a wink.

You might remember Joe Pepitone was the next batter. Joe knew what just happened. I noticed Joe sticking the bat out waist high.

"Hey Denny, how 'bout you give me one of those right about here." The first pitch – and I will never forget the sight of it – Pepi diving and sprawled out face-first into the dirt.

Despite all his faults, Mantle fans will always have a soft spot for Denny McLain.