June 20, 1961 -- The voting ends in a 'world-wide election' to settle the question who is the better superstar, New York's Mickey Mantle or San Francisco's Willie Mays. The Sport magazine poll, inspired by Bill Hoebler, a young baseball fan, and reader from Pittsburgh, puts the Yankee center fielder ahead of the Giants' Say Hey Kid by more than 500 votes, after the tallying the seventeen pounds of postcards from all 50 states and several countries.

Willie, Mickey, and The Duke: The Men Behind the Myth

In the golden decade of 1950s baseball, no city in America was more alive with the game than New York. And at the heart of this era stood three young, supremely talented center fielders—Willie Mays of the Giants, Mickey Mantle of the Yankees, and Duke Snider of the Dodgers. They weren’t just stars; they were citywide icons, each representing a borough and a fan base in what was arguably baseball’s last true golden triangle. Their impact was so profound that songwriter Terry Cashman forever immortalized them in his beloved 1981 tune, “Talkin’ Baseball (Willie, Mickey and The Duke).”

But the road to Cooperstown wasn’t paved with ease.

Mickey Mantle, the "Commerce Comet" from Oklahoma, broke into the majors in 1951 with more hype than almost any player before him. Despite a blistering spring training, Mantle faltered under the weight of expectations. Struggling at the plate and hounded by critics over a failed military physical due to osteomyelitis, he was demoted to the minors. There, he nearly quit baseball—until his father challenged his resolve in a now-legendary hotel room conversation. Mantle stayed, stormed back, and became a Yankee icon, belting 536 homers, winning three MVPs, and earning a reputation as one of the most powerful switch-hitters in history.

That same year, Willie Mays was tearing up the American Association, hitting .477 for the Minneapolis Millers. The call to the big leagues came via a movie theater intermission in Sioux City. But the 20-year-old from Alabama doubted himself. Mays went 1-for-26 in his first week and wept in the clubhouse. Giants manager Leo Durocher refused to lose faith, famously telling him, “You’re my center fielder.” Mays responded with a stellar rookie campaign, won Rookie of the Year, and after two years of military service, returned to win MVP honors and lead the Giants to a title in 1954. His career—marked by 660 home runs, iconic catches, and five-tool brilliance—was one of baseball’s finest.

Duke Snider, the California-born “Duke of Flatbush,” had an even slower start. After a rocky debut in 1947, he was twice demoted and at one point worked on a sewage project back home, doubting his future in the game. But Dodgers management stuck by him, and by 1949 Snider had blossomed into a power-hitting mainstay in center field. He helped lead Brooklyn to multiple pennants and a long-awaited World Series title in 1955. Despite intense media pressure—especially after the Dodgers' collapse in the 1951 pennant race—Snider persevered and would eventually hit 407 homers en route to the Hall of Fame.

These three players weren't just talented—they were resilient. Each faced self-doubt, public criticism, and career-defining adversity. But they pushed forward, becoming the faces of their teams and legends of the game.

Their stories remain timeless not just for their on-field accomplishments, but for their humanity. And Terry Cashman’s “Talkin’ Baseball” beautifully captures that moment in time, evoking nostalgia and reverence for when New York was the baseball capital of the world—and center field belonged to Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.

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TRIVIA:

 Which manager’s World Series move did the Boston Globe call, "  the gutsiest move in history."?

Hint: #1 He had the nickname “America’s Guest” for the amount of time he spent in ballpark press rooms.

Hint: #2 He is known by his middle name which itself is the result of a hospital stay his grandmother had.

June 20, 1948, the Cleveland Indians draw a record crowd of 82,781 for a doubleheader at Municipal Stadium. The Indians will draw 2.6 million fans for the year, breaking the single-season mark set by the New York Yankees in 1947

June 20, 1956 - At Detroit's Briggs Stadium, Mickey Mantle poles two Billy Hoeft pitches into the right CF bleachers, something no other player had done since the bleachers were built in the late 1930s. New York wins, 7 - 4.

June 20, 1963 -- The first Mayor's Trophy Game between the Yankees and Mets is played in the Bronx. A crowd of 50,742, made up of mostly National League fans, sees Casey Stengel's expansion team defeat the reigning World Champions, 6-2.

June 20, 1965, future Hall of Famer Al Kaline drives in the 1,000th run of his major league career. Kaline’s two RBIs help the Detroit Tigers win their eighth consecutive game. The Tigers defeat the Kansas City Athletics, 12-8…

June 20 , 1970 - 19-year-old Cesar Cedeno makes his major league debut in a 9-6 triumph over the Braves. He singles twice off George Stone as Houston builds an early lead. Homers by Johnny Edwards and Bob Watson appear to put the game away but Atlanta makes a furious rally which ends only when Fred Gladding fans Bob Aspromonte with two aboard for the final out.

June 20, 1973, At Candlestick Park, Bobby Bonds leads off with a home run off Don Gullett, but the Reds put up 6 in the 4th and the Giants lose the game, 7 - 5, to the Reds. It is Bonds's 22nd leadoff home run, breaking Lou Brock's National League record. Bonds will hit a career-high 39 home runs and lead the league with 341 total bases and 131 runs scored during the 73 season. He will also finish 3rd in the NL MVP Award, the highest he will ever finish.

June 20, 1973, Cy Acosta of the Chicago White Sox becomes the first American League pitcher to bat in a game since the designated hitter rule went into effect. Acosta comes to bat after DH Tony Muser moves to first base in place of Dick Allen. Acosta strikes out in his one at-bat, which comes in the eighth inning of an 8-3 win over the California Angels.

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June 20, 1978 Detroit Tigers vs Toronto Blue Jays Full Radio Broadcast of both games

June 20, 1980, five-foot, five-inch Freddie Patek known by the nickname of "Flea" of the California Angels slugs three home runs in a game at Fenway Park. The diminutive shortstop, who will finish his career with only 41 home runs, becomes the smallest player to hit three homers in a game. Patek also contributes a double in the Angels’ 20-3 demolition of the Boston Red Sox…

Games from June 20 1985 - Cubs vs Mets Full Radio Broadcasts

June 20, 1986 - After leading the club to a 26-38 record, Tony LaRussa is fired as manager of the White Sox and replaced by Jim Fregosi. LaRussa will be hired to manage the A's early next month.

June 20, 1978 AND 1983 This Week In Baseball

June 20, 1992, Kelly Saunders becomes the second woman to serve as a public address announcer at a major league game. Making her debut at Camden Yards, Saunders fills in for the Baltimore Orioles’ regular announcer, Rex Barney. In 1966, Joy Hawkins McCabe, the daughter of the Senators’ public-relations director, became the first female P.A. announcer, doing one game for Washington at D.C. Stadium against the White Sox.

June 20, 2007, Sammy Sosa slugged his 600th home run in the Rangers' 7-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Sosa had homered against every team except the Cubs, for whom he played much of his career. The homer came off Jason Marquis, who was wearing #21 - the number Sosa had worn for the Cubs. jHe joins, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, and Willie Mays the only other players to top 600 career home runs.

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