This Day In Baseball History: Mickey Mantle Banned From Baseball

February 8th

Mickey Mantle, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, was banned from Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1983. This ban came after Mantle began working for Claridge Resort and Casino in Atlantic City. Although Commissioner Bowie Kuhn warned him that he would be banned, he did it anyway.

Working with the casino, Mantle was able to bring in some money post-playing career. It is important to remember that the contracts of the 1900s were not those of today. Adjusted for inflation, Mantle earned around 9 million dollars during his playing career. When he passed, his network was believed to be around $10 million. No one is saying he was scrapping for pennies, but the money was nowhere near what would be expected from one of baseball’s greatest players.

MLB's ban on Mantle was not a lifetime ban, and he was eventually reinstated several years later. He went on to make public appearances and work as a baseball analyst. Despite the ban, Mantle's legacy as one of the greatest players of all time remains intact. Frankly, this was the first time I even heard of this ban.