My dad, “Mutt” Mantle is 41 a father to me, sometimes more like a good judge of talent—“Mickey Mantle”
He was 42 about baseball. He made his living working in mines. But he played baseball in several town teams.
From the day I was born, Dad said he wanted me to make my living as baseball player. He named me Mickey 43 a catcher he liked. He hoped I would play for the New York Yankees.
Dad often 44 a toy baseball to my crib(摇篮). One day, 45 . I caught one. Then he was sure that I’d be a ball player!
I learned about the 46 on a ball field before I learned my ABC’s. When I was three, Dad had Mama make me little uniform. He liked to 47 around town in it.
When I five, I started school. That same day, I had my first 48 in switch-hitting(左右手都能击球)
Dad and Grandpa were in the yard when I came home from school. They had a small bat and two 49
“Mickey,” said Dad, “ Grandpa and I have thought up at a new 50 . Take this bat and try to hit our pitches(投掷).I’m left-handed. When I throw, you swing right-handed 51 you always have. Grandpa’s right-handed. When he throws, turn around and swing left-handed.”
Dad was going to make me a 52 ! He knew that a player who can bat both right and left has a good 53 of making hit.
That day I tried and tried. But I couldn’t swing left-handed. After about 15 minutes, I yelled to Mama for help. She said, “ I know it’s easy. But please try. 54 , to make Dad happy.”
So, every day after school we had switch-hitting 55 . After two weeks, I didn’t 56 it any more. My 57 were getting trained. I began to hit a few.
After a year or two, Dad and Grandpa began throwing as 58 as they could. And they put real curves(曲线)on those tennis balls. Then as I grew older, they began to use baseball 59 .
So you know 60 I, today’s baseball star Mickey Mantle, got my star as a Switch-Hitter.