Mantle was highly recruited to play RB at Oklahoma because of his speed, and this was at a time when Oklahoma was the best program in the nation. In his first World Series, a fly ball that Dimaggio should have called for, forced Mantle to go for it. He was unfamiliar with Yankee stadium, and tripped on a drain pipe and tore his knee. Sportswriters say he was never the some after that, still fast but not world class like before.
Dimaggio was supposedly jealous of all the attention the rookie was getting, being touted as the next great Yankee, and puposely didn't call Mantle off the play. But Dimaggio was blazing fast himself in his day, and might have been the best centerfielder ever. Only playing 13 years because of WW2 and retiring early, one could make a case for Joe D or Wille Mays being the best ever all around player. Career totals pale of Dimaggio pale in comparison to Mays, but per year numbers are very close in HR and RBI, with Joe way ahead in AVG and Mays having many more steals. Dimaggio played in the Murder's Row era of the Yankees when they didn't run.
