Commissioner Kuhn Bans Mickey Mantle from Baseball

On February 8, 1983, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn ordered Mickey Mantle to sever all ties with Major League Baseball. Mantle had accepted a $100,000-per-year position as director of sports promotions for the Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City just one day earlier. Kuhn viewed the casino connection as incompatible with baseball's public image and placed Mantle on the permanently ineligible list.

Mantle became the second Hall of Famer to face this punishment. Willie Mays had been banned by Kuhn in 1979 for a similar arrangement with Bally's Park Place Casino in Atlantic City. Both men held goodwill ambassador roles that involved playing golf with high-rolling guests, signing autographs, and attending charity events. Neither was accused of gambling on baseball.

Mantle chose the casino job over his baseball ties. He needed the income. His post-playing career had been uneven, and the Claridge's offer provided steady pay for light promotional work. He publicly called the ban ridiculous, noting that he had no involvement in sports wagering.

The punishment barred Mantle and Mays from holding any official position with a major or minor league team, attending spring training in an official capacity, or participating in organized baseball events. For two of the sport's most beloved figures, the exile felt disproportionate to the offense.

When Peter Ueberroth replaced Kuhn as commissioner in late 1984, he moved quickly to reverse both bans. On March 18, 1985, Ueberroth reinstated Mantle and Mays, ending a controversy that had embarrassed the commissioner's office far more than it had damaged either player's reputation.