When Alex Rodriguez meets people and Mickey Mantle’s name comes up, there’s always the same reaction.
“Every person that I run to in the streets always has a big smile when you mention Mickey Mantle,” A-Rod said last night. “It seems like he was everyone’s favorite player.”
Rodriguez tied the Mick in last night’s 5-4 Yankee win, blasting his 536th career homer to move into a tie for 13th on the all-time list.
“It’s definitely, the whole experience part of my career now where you start talking about some of these names is very humbling,” Rodriguez said. “It’s pretty special, man.”
A-Rod came up in top of the second inning, having hit six career homers off Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. Then he made it number seven.
On an 0-1 pitch, A-Rod ripped a homer to left, as it said “536” on the scoreboard with him and Mantle next to each other. With the fans still cheering afterwards, Rodriguez came out and doffed his cap.
Rodriguez got the celebratory ball back afterwards, and he was holding it in postgame.
Next up for Rodriguez is Mike Schmidt at No. 12. Schmidt had 548 career homers, so Rodriguez could pass him later this season.
Still, Schdmit isn’t the same type of legend as Mantle.
“Even the grounds-crew guy when he said, “He was my hero. You tied my hero today,’ ” Rodriguez said. “I get that so much with Mickey Mantle. Him being a Yankee is very special.”