Abner the Baseball
Posted: November 9, 2018 Filed under: 20th Century, Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, cartoons, humor, Major League Baseball, Mickey Mantle, MLB, New York Yankees, sports, Yogi Berra Leave a commentThis little cartoon from the 1960s tells the story of a baseball, appropriately named Abner, and his journey from the bottom of a ball bag to the halls of Cooperstown. It’s a fun twist to think about the game from the ball’s perspective, and I almost felt sorry for little Abner at times. (On the other hand, Abner does have a rather melodramatic “woe is me” sort of attitude about his situation, which also prompts a bit of snickering.)
I love how the cartoon spins a touch of reality into the saga, even if the details are a bit sketchy. The Mickey Mantle caricature is particularly amusing, as he carries himself in a manner that I’ve never associated with the real Mantle.