Mickey Mantle vs Willie Mays -- Home Run Derby marquee match-up (Full TV Show vid, 1960!)

Mickey vs Willie a good one!

Home Run Derby was a series of filmed home run contests between two sluggers of the late 1950s and early 1960s, one National Leaguer vs one American Leaguer. It only aired for just one year (1960).

The Rules: The batters had to swing at every pitch in the strike zone. Any called strike or batted ball that did not go for a home run was an out. (Three outs per inning.)

The Stakes: The batter with the most runs at the end of nine innings

Winner won $2000.
The Loser got $1000.

A $500 bonus was an added incentive for any batter who hit three home runs in a row. Each consecutive home run after the first three in a row was worth an additional $500.

While one hitter was at bat, the other sat in the press box with host Mark Scott. He talked about both his and the other hitter's career. You got the impression he was antagonizing the players a bit, who were trying to focus. LIKE WILLIE.

Wrigley Field was the TV Derby venue - the home of the Pacific Coast League Los Angeles Angels. --Power alleys were only 345 feet from home plate. (Neighborhood kids used to shag balls?)

So who also played in this tournament?

LEGENDS. Mays. Mantle. Hank Aaron, Harmon Killebrew, Frank Robinson, Ernie Banks and other. Of the 19 participants, nine are Hall of Famers.

What a tremendous show this must have been at the time. Catch other full episodes on YouToob.