When Mickey Mantle was being scouted by the major leagues, he was a guy who seemed to have it all. He was strong and fast and could throw the ball and was an immensely powerful hitter - either right or left-handed.
Mantle’s grandfather died at 60 and his father, whom he deeply loved, died at 40 when Mickey was just 21. Both died from Hodgkin’s Disease, perhaps as a result of mining zinc and lead.
Mantle was a brilliant athlete but he had a terrible injury history which started in high school. He was really not fully healthy very often.