Today's Little Leaguers, and there are millions of them each year, pick up how to hit and throw and field just by watching games on TV. By the time they're out of high school, the good ones are almost ready to play professional ball.

Mantle finiMickey Mantled with 54 while leading the league in runs scored and walks. The second he always will be. When Mantle finally fell short finishing with 54 there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief from the New York traditionalists.

Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time and one of the greatest players in baseball history.