You might recognize McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown for his role in Formula 1, but his most unforgettable sports memory does not come from the racetrack. It comes from a childhood phone call to MLB legend Mickey Mantle. Long before he was gathering trophies, Brown was just a 13-year-old kid with a relentless admiration for one of baseball’s greatest icons.
Such an admiration guided Brown to dial up Mantle’s golf club almost daily, thinking of a chance to speak to his hero. What happened next? A mix of cursing, confusion, and a call-back from mom that no one saw coming.
When the call finally got through, it was the former Yankees star himself who picked up the phone. However, instead of a happy fan moment, Brown was met with a torrent of expletives. Mantle thought it was a prank call and then unleashed multiple curses before hanging up. Cue heartbreak. A stunned kid burst into tears and rushed to his mom with the whole story.
What followed was a turnaround of a situation from sad to unforgettable. Brown’s mother did not just comfort him — she called Mantle back. “You just cussed out my kid,” she probably yelled at the Hall of Famer. That definitely hit Mantle right in the conscience, because just like that, the Yankees proudly asked to make things good for little Zak in the most Mickey Mantle way possible.
Just after a few days, young Zak was on a flight to Dallas. The former Yankees star who had just cursed him out was now waiting to spend an entire afternoon with his most loyal fan at the Hilton. The 536 home run owner owned his mistake and turned what could have been a scarring childhood memory into a legendary tale.
“I have actually got the best story ever on baseball,” the CEO recalled on George Brett’s Golf Underground. And Brown still sounds like the awe-struck kid who met his star. A die-hard fan meeting the MLB legend – a story that proves persistence and a good mother go a long way.
And why won’t all of these be a big deal? After all, it’s Micky Mantle, folks!!!
Mantle’s legacy still looms large
While Zak Brown could have a Mickey Mantle letter that could never be published in a modern media guide, what is just as telling is how the Yankee legend still casts a long shadow over current-period elite MLB stars. Case in point? Juan Soto.
The $765 M star of the Mets might just pass Mantle for most career walks before turning 27. That is not obscure data. That is a highlight of MLB IQ: Discipline at the plate with vital consistency. Soto is currently at 794 walks, with the former Yankees star sitting just ahead at 797…for now. With multiple games left in 2025 and Juan Soto still only 26, it is ensured that the modern slugger will leave the legend behind in this stat column. However, that does not mean Mantle’s spirit is getting left in the dust.
In fact, the Mets star is not just adopting the path of Mick — he is performing like him, too. The star launched two home runs against Arizona and is standing at 25 career multi-homer plays before turning 27. Such data ties Soto with a Hall of Fame-level cast: Mel Ott, Alex Rodriguez, and Eddie Mathews. Just Jimmie Foxx stands above Soto at 26.
Yet, the mere fact that Mantle remains an analyzing stick says it all. He played his last game in 1968, and this is 2025, still greatness is compared to him! Whether it is stats or scandalous collectibles, Mantle’s place in MLB history remains as magical as ever. Brown’s prized possession — the raunchy letter Mantle wrote for a joke — is just one version of the story. Juan Soto’s stat line? That is another.
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