Mickey & Billy

An unflinching, all-access look at the friendship between Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin—two beloved Yankees and flawed heroes who embodied both triumph and self-destruction Through meticulous research and exclusive interviews with the late Mantle and Martin—and those who knew them best—journalist and historian Tony Castro reveals the double-edged sword of their friendship: how the New York Yankees legends, an inseparable duo, epitomized the swagger and spirit of their era while paying the price for fame’s excesses. Mantle, the golden boy blessed with power, speed, and charm. Martin, the fiery underdog whose grit made him indispensable. While leading a 1950s Yankees dynasty, they lived life at full throttle: wild partying, barroom brawls, and runins with the law. As the years wore on, the very traits that made Mantle and Martin extraordinary figures exacted a heavy price, but in Mickey & Billy, we see that their friendship was the saving grace. Only together could Mickey and Billy face life’s next difficult pitch.

Tony Castro is a distinguished historian, journalist, and biographer. In 1970, while a young reporter in Dallas, Castro met his childhood hero Mickey Mantle, who was dealing with life in retirement. Castro’s friendship with Mantle would continue until Mickey’s death in 1995. He is the author of eight critically acclaimed books, including Mickey Mantle: America’s Prodigal Son, Maris & Mantle, DiMag & Mick, and Looking for Hemingway. Tony Castro lives in Los Angeles.