Mantle vs Mays is probably the most highly debated comparison in sports history. Here are some interesting statistics that you probably are not aware of:

MVP Awards: Mantle won 3, Mays won 2.

Triple Crowns: Mantle 1, Mays 0

Lifetime OPS: Mantle .977, Mays .941 (this stat should end the "who's the better hitter" argument)

Lifetime OPS+: Mantle: 172, Mays: 155 (if the last stat didn't, this one, adjusted to ballparks, shows that Mantle blows Mays away at the plate career vs career).

World Series BA: Mantle .257 in 65 games, Mays .239 in 20 games

World Series HR: Mantle hit 18 in 65 games, Mays hit 0 in 20 games

Speed: Acknowledged that Mantle was much faster than Mays (he was considered the fastest player MLB through the 50's and early 60's). He didn't try to steal bases because of his bad legs. But compare their GIDP stats... Mantle's worst years were about the same as Mays' best. You just cannot say that Mays was a better baserunner.

Fielding: Mantle had a career .985 fielding percentage in the outfield... Mays career .981 in the outfield. Some people like to say that Mays was the better fielder, but the statistics don't bear that out.

Career batting average: almost the same (Mays .302, Mantle .298).

Plate appearances per home run: almost the same (Mantle HR every 18.49 PA, Mays HR every 18.92 PA)

Slugging %: Mantle .557, Mays .557

On Base %: Mantle's career: .421 Mays' CAREER HIGH: .426, career: .384

To have a guy who was plagued with injuries for most of his career (and who, unfortunately was a huge drinker because he didn't think he was going to live that long) with stats at least comparable to the great Willie Mays is astounding. If he were healthy for his entire career, he would have been the best player in history.

I respect your "humble opinion" but many others share mine. I'll give you that over the stretch of career vs career, Mays might have a slight edge in a couple of categories (like stolen bases), but prime vs prime it's really no contest. Mantle was the better player by every measurement currently in use.