The Copacabana Incident

May 16, 1957. 

One of the most well-documented and reported stories about Mickey Mantle‘s antics off the field involves the infamous “Copacabana incident” of 1957. This event encapsulates the wild side of Mantle’s life, involving drinking, rowdy behavior, and his notorious teammates. That night at the Copa was the Mick, Whitey Ford, Billy Martin, Hank Bauer, Yogi Berra and Johnny Kucks. Sammy Davis Jr. was the headliner.

The Yankees had just played a game against the Kansas City Athletics earlier that day. In celebration of Billy Martin’s birthday, several Yankees players and their wives decided to go out for a night on the town, choosing the Copacabana, a popular nightclub, as their destination. The night took a wild turn as the players consumed copious amounts of alcohol.

As the evening progressed, the group found themselves embroiled in a brawl with some patrons from a nearby table. These patrons were reportedly members of a bowling team who had been heckling singer Sammy Davis Jr., who was performing that night. The Yankees players took offense to the derogatory remarks and a physical altercation ensued.

So, what happened? Some consequences. The incident garnered significant media attention and became a public relations nightmare for the Yankees. 

Yankees’ management, led by General Manager George Weiss, was furious. Billy Martin, who was considered a troublemaker, was traded to the Kansas City Athletics shortly after the incident. Other players faced fines, but the exact amounts and internal disciplinary actions were not always publicly disclosed. The New York newspapers had a field day with the story, which dominated the sports pages for weeks.

Mickey Mantle’s image as a hard-drinking, fun-loving player was cemented. Despite the incident, Mantle continued to be a fan favorite and a highly productive player on the field. The incident highlighted the wild and rebellious culture within the Yankees clubhouse during that era, particularly among Mantle, Ford, Martin, and other players known for their nightlife escapades.

This story remains one of the most colorful and frequently recounted episodes in the history of Mickey Mantle and the New York Yankees, encapsulating the intersection of sports, celebrity, and scandal during the 1950s.

–Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor