Chew on this

Much to the amusement of a Wednesday afternoon crowd of nearly 35,000 at Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle hits a two-run homer off Billy Pierce during the fifth inning of New York’s 9-3 victory over the White Sox 71 years ago today.

Much to the dismay of Yankees manager Casey Stengel, however, Mantle is photographed blowing a large bubble with his wad of gum – gasp, the horrors – as he takes his position in center field at the top of the sixth inning.

For this transgression, Stengel forces Mantle to make a public apology. Fret not for The Mick, though, as he quickly gets an endorsement deal with the Bowman Gum Co.