Giants legend Willie Mays dies at 93

Giants legend Willie Mays dies at 93
Willie Mays, the iconic Hall of Fame center fielder who is often regarded as the greatest all-around baseball player of all time, passed away on Tuesday, the San Francisco Giants announced. He was 93 years old.
Known affectionately as “The Say Hey Kid,” Mays enjoyed a professional baseball career that spanned an impressive four decades. He began his journey in the late 1940s with the Negro Leagues and concluded it with the New York Mets in 1972. Between these bookends, Mays spent 21 remarkable years with the New York Giants, who later relocated to San Francisco.
Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born on May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama. He was named Willie, not William, and grew up in an athletically gifted family. Both his parents were talented athletes, but it was his father, Cat Mays, who introduced him to baseball. Cat Mays was a semi-professional player on several local Black teams and began teaching his son the fundamentals of the game at an early age. By the time Willie was 10, he was already sitting in the dugout with his father’s team.
In high school, Mays excelled in multiple sports, showcasing his athletic versatility. His professional baseball career began in 1948 with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro League, even before he had completed high school. Upon graduating in 1950, he signed with the Giants and quickly ascended through the minor leagues, earning a call-up to the majors in May 1951
Mays was the epitome of a five-tool player, excelling in speed, throwing, fielding, hitting for average, and hitting for power. Over his 24-season career, he posted a stellar triple-slash line of .301/.384/.557, hit 660 home runs, and stole 338 bases. He led the National League in stolen bases four times and in home runs four times. Remarkably, he grounded into just 45 double plays throughout his career.
In May 2024, Mays' career statistics received a slight boost when 10 hits from his Negro League career were officially integrated into MLB’s historical record. His home run total, however, remained unchanged due to the lack of comprehensive box scores from those games.
Mays made an immediate impact in the majors after his debut on May 25, 1951. Though his initial numbers were not overwhelming, he hit his first home run against the Boston Braves in his fourth game and went on to win the Rookie of the Year award. His nickname, “The Say Hey Kid,” was coined during his rookie year by either his manager Leo Durocher or writer Barney Kremenko of the New York Journal-American. Mays was known for his enthusiastic expressions such as "Say who," "Say what," "Say where," and "Say hey," leading to the moniker that stuck for the rest of his career.
Mays' burgeoning MLB career was interrupted by military service during the Korean War. He served in the Army for two years, spending most of 1952 and all of 1953 playing on military baseball teams and entertaining the troops.
Upon returning to the Giants in 1954, Mays delivered the best season of his career, hitting .345/.411/.667 with 41 home runs. He was awarded the MVP and selected to the All-Star Game. From 1955 to 1966, Mays consistently ranked among the top players in MVP voting, winning the award again in 1965 and finishing second twice. He was selected to 20 All-Star Games (24 including the second All-Star games held from 1959 to 1962) and won the All-Star MVP twice, in 1963 and 1968, becoming the first player to do so. He also earned 12 Gold Gloves for his defensive prowess.
Despite his offensive achievements, Mays always expressed a deep love for fielding. "Don't get me wrong: I like to hit,” he told the Sporting News in 1955. “But there's nothing like getting out there in the outfield, running after a ball and throwing somebody out trying to take that extra base. That's real fun."
In 1963, Mays set a precedent by becoming the first player in baseball history to sign a six-figure contract, agreeing to a $100,000 per year deal with the Giants.
One of the most memorable moments of Mays' career occurred during the 1954 World Series, which remains his only World Series title. In Game 1 against the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians), Mays made his legendary over-the-shoulder catch. With the score tied 2-2 in the top of the eighth inning and the bases loaded, Cleveland's Vic Wertz hit a deep fly ball to center field. Mays, sprinting towards the wall in the Polo Grounds, made a stunning, no-look catch and then quickly threw the ball to prevent any runners from scoring. This play, known simply as “The Catch,” is still celebrated as one of the greatest in baseball history.

[@anthonyhall5781]

Looked up his major league record. Those numbers were unbelievable.... RIP Willie Mays.

[@roby5706]

The “Say hey Kid” one of the greatest baseball players ever, Willie Howard Mays,R.I.P. sir….🇺🇸⚾️🙏🏼

[@mathewfines8727]

Too bad you have put dialogue captions that miss-spell "Mays" as Maze", more often than not, and even" May's" in this video.

[@johnkopmeier3579]

Another legend gone. Even as a little league outfielder I heard of him and his catches.