Man, I just got done digging into the whole Greer Johnson and Mickey Mantle thing. What a story, right?
So, I started out just wanting to know more about Mickey Mantle. You know, the baseball legend. Guy was a total beast on the field, 7 World Series championships, 16 times All-Star. I mean, come on. But then I stumbled upon this name, Greer Johnson, who was apparently his agent, and, well, more than that.
First, I went through a bunch of old articles from like, the late ’90s. Found one from November 20, 1997, talking about Mantle’s widow, Merlyn, and his sons. Then another from October 30, 1998, about the family feuding with Greer. It’s like a soap opera, I’m telling you.
Then I found something from November 23, 1997. Turns out, Mantle’s family wasn’t too happy with Greer. They were all up in arms about her selling off his personal stuff. Accusing her of exploiting him and having bad taste. But then, boom, by Friday of that week, things had changed. What happened there? I’m still digging.
I also found this article about 300 people, including the home run king Hank Aaron, attending something with Greer, who was Mantle’s agent, on August 21, 1995.
- I kept reading and found out that Greer Johnson wasn’t just his agent, she was also, you know, his lover. Found a piece from November 23, 1997, where she’s sitting front row at a hotel during an auction of Mantle’s stuff. Talk about awkward, right?
- Dug up another article from November 22, 1997, that listed a bunch of Mantle’s belongings that were up for auction. Even his birth certificate! Can you believe that?
It wasn’t just about the drama, though. I found this really touching story from February 20, 2011. It’s about Tom, his wife, Mickey, and Greer watching the 1992 World Series at Mickey’s place. Forty minutes later he was dead. It said that even as he was dying, Mantle showed this quiet strength. That he faced death with dignity. It kind of reframed how I saw him. He became a new kind of hero for me.
I also read that despite all his personal struggles, lots of people thought Mantle was a good guy. His life off the field was, well, it was messy. Alcohol, infidelity, you name it. Three of his sons battled with alcoholism, too. Two of them died because of it. Towards the end of his life, he seemed to regret the way he’d lived and the pain he’d caused his family. That’s heavy stuff.
Oh, and get this, Ted Williams once told a Yankees writer that Mantle could’ve hit a .400 average in a season. That’s insane, especially coming from a legend like Williams. He said, “Mickey has everything going for him.”
So, yeah, that’s where I’m at with this whole Greer Johnson and Mickey Mantle thing. It’s a wild ride of baseball greatness, personal struggles, auctions, and, of course, a whole lot of drama. I’ll keep you guys posted as I learn more.
