Legendary outfielder Willie Mays, ‘Say Hey Child,’ dies at 93

Willie Mays, whose unmatched assortment of abilities made him the best middle fielder who ever lived, died Tuesday afternoon on the age of 93, the San Francisco Giants introduced.

“My father has handed away peacefully and amongst family members,” mentioned Michael Mays in a press release launched by the Giants. “I need to thanks all from the underside of my damaged coronary heart for the unwavering love you’ve got proven him through the years. You’ve gotten been his life’s blood.”

The “Say Hey Child” left an indelible mark on the game, together with his identify a continuing all through baseball’s hallowed document e book and his defensive prowess — epitomized by “The Catch” in Recreation 1 of the 1954 World Collection — second to none.

All informed, in a profession that spanned 20-plus years (1951-73) — most of them together with his beloved Giants — he made 24 All-Star groups, gained two NL MVP awards and had 12 Gold Gloves. He ranks sixth all time in dwelling runs (660), seventh in runs scored (2,068), twelfth in RBIs (1,909) and thirteenth in hits (3,293).

“Immediately we now have misplaced a real legend”, mentioned Giants Chairman Greg Johnson in a press release. “Within the pantheon of baseball greats, Willie Mays’ mixture of large expertise, eager mind, showmanship, and boundless pleasure set him aside. A 24-time All-Star, the Say Hey Child is the final word Ceaselessly Large.

“He had a profound affect not solely on the sport of baseball, however on the material of America. He was an inspiration and a hero who will likely be perpetually remembered and deeply missed.”

Fellow Giants legend Barry Bonds, who’s Mays’ godson and sits simply 5 spots above him on the all-time dwelling run leaderboard, mentioned Mays “helped form me to be who I’m at present” in a message shared on social media.

Mays’ loss of life comes two days earlier than the Giants are set to face off towards the St. Louis Cardinals at Rickwood Discipline in Birmingham, Alabama, in a sport honoring Mays and the Negro Leagues as an entire. It was introduced Monday that Mays wouldn’t be capable of attend.

Mays, who was born on Might 6, 1931, and grew up in Alabama, started his skilled profession on the age of 17 in 1948 with the Birmingham Black Barons, serving to the staff to the Negro League World Collection that season.

MLB has been working with the town of Birmingham and Mates of Rickwood nonprofit group to renovate the ten,800-seat ballpark, which at 114 years previous is the oldest skilled ballpark in the US.

“Thursday’s sport at historic Rickwood Discipline was designed to be a celebration of Willie Mays and his friends,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned in a press release. “With unhappiness in our hearts, it’s going to now additionally function a nationwide remembrance of an American who will perpetually stay on the quick checklist of probably the most impactful people our nice sport has ever recognized.”

Mays excelled in baseball, soccer and basketball as a excessive schooler. However his love of baseball trumped all sports activities. Since he was nonetheless in class whereas taking part in for the Black Barons, he solely performed on the weekends with the membership; he traveled with Birmingham when college was out.

The New York Giants caught wind of Mays and bought his contract from Birmingham in 1950. Mays had no hassle acclimating, batting .353 in 81 video games with Trenton that season. In 1951, Mays broke out with the Triple-A Minneapolis Millers; he batted .477 in 35 video games earlier than the Giants recalled him in Might.

At age 20, Mays was the tenth Black participant within the main league historical past. After going hitless in his first three video games, Mays’ first profession hit was a house run off Corridor of Famer Warren Spahn within the first inning of the Giants’ 4-1 loss to the Braves on Might 28, 1951. Mays was additionally on-deck when the Giants’ Bobby Thomson hit his NL pennant-winning dwelling run towards the Dodgers on Oct. 3, 1951, famously referred to as “The Shot Heard ‘Around the World.”

There’ll by no means be one other fairly like Willie Mays 🧡 pic.twitter.com/I95JW1buJF

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 19, 2024

The Korean Conflict interrupted Mays’s profession in 1952. He performed in 34 video games for the Giants (batting .236) earlier than he was drafted by the U.S. Military. Mays was assigned to Fort Eustis in Virginia and he stored his abilities sharp by taking part in video games frequently. Mays additionally missed your complete 1953 season due to navy service; he didn’t return to the Giants till the spring of 1954.

However the layoff from skilled baseball didn’t have an effect on him. Mays gained the primary of his two profession NL MVP awards that season, main the league in batting at .345 and hitting 41 dwelling runs to go alone with 110 RBIs. Mays gained his different NL MVP in 1965.

“I fell in love with baseball due to Willie, plain and easy,” mentioned Giants president and chief government officer Larry Baer. “My childhood was outlined by going to Candlestick with my dad, watching Willie patrol centerfield with grace and the final word athleticism. Over the previous 30 years, working with Willie, and seeing firsthand his zest for all times and unbridled ardour for giving to younger gamers and children, has been one of many joys of my life.”

Throughout Recreation 1 of the 1954 World Collection towards the Cleveland Indians on the Polo Grounds, Mays made one of the crucial well-known performs in baseball historical past. With the rating tied at 2 and two runners on base, Cleveland’s Vic Wertz hit a 2-1 pitch to deep middle within the prime of the eighth inning. Mays sprinted towards the wall together with his again away from Wertz. He made a basket catch whereas on the run, pivoted and fired the ball into the infield. Mays’ catch and fast relay throw prevented each runners from scoring; the Giants gained the sport 5-2 in 10 innings.

Immediately, the play is just referred to as “The Catch.”

On Might 11, 1972, Mays was traded from the Giants to the New York Mets for pitcher Charlie Williams and $50,000. After the 1973 season, Mays retired. In 1979, he was elected to the Baseball Corridor of Fame.

In his 22-year profession, Mays led the NL in dwelling runs 4 instances, and when he retired, his 660 dwelling runs ranked third in large league historical past; he now ranks sixth behind Bonds, Hank Aaron, Ruth, Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols. He additionally completed with 3,283 hits (twelfth all time) and 1,903 RBIs (twelfth all-time) in his profession.

“… His unimaginable achievements and statistics don’t start to explain the awe that got here with watching Willie Mays dominate the sport in each method possible,” Manfred mentioned. “We’ll always remember this true Large on and off the sector. On behalf of Main League Baseball, I prolong my deepest condolences to Willie’s household, his buddies throughout our sport, Giants followers in all places, and his numerous admirers the world over.”

Apart from 1951, when he wore No. 14, Mays wore No. 24 his total profession. Mays’ legacy nonetheless resonates in San Francisco. The Giants ballpark is situated at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, full with a statue of Mays. Town of San Francisco additionally celebrates each Might 24 as Willie Mays Day.