Feb. 28, 1962 - Asked today whether he had set any goal for himself this year, Mickey Mantle said: “Well, just once, I’d like to play every game of a schedule. In 1960, I missed 1 game of our 154-game schedule. Last year, when we played 163 games counting 1 tie, I missed 10.” Does he think he or anyone else will break Maris’s record of 61 homers? “My pick would be Harmon Killebrew,” said Mickey. The Minnesota Twins’ slugger finished with 46 homers. “As for myself,” added Mickey, “in addition to playing a full schedule, I’d like to cut down on those strikeouts. With 112, I was lower than in my 3 previous years, but it’s still too high.” Mantle batted .317 last year, his best mark since his .365 of 1957.
