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 within the Bay Space. He was 93.

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

The “Say Hey Child” left an indelible mark on the game, along with his title a relentless all through baseball’s hallowed document ebook and his defensive prowess — epitomized by “The Catch” in Sport 1 of the 1954 World Collection — second to none.

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

“Immediately we’ve misplaced a real legend,” Giants chairman Greg Johnson stated in a press release. “Within the pantheon of baseball greats, Willie Mays’ mixture of super expertise, eager mind, showmanship, and boundless pleasure set him aside. A 24-time All-Star, the Say Hey Child is the last word Endlessly 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 house run leaderboard, stated Mays “helped form me to be who I’m in the present day” in a message shared on social media.

Mays’ demise comes two days earlier than the Giants are set to play the St. Louis Cardinals at Rickwood Discipline in Birmingham, Alabama, in a sport honoring Mays and the Negro Leagues as a complete. It was introduced Monday that Mays wouldn’t be capable to attend.

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

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town of Birmingham and Buddies of Rickwood nonprofit group to renovate the ten,800-seat ballpark, which at 114 years outdated is the oldest skilled ballpark in america.

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

The Giants had been taking part in the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday night time; the Wrigley Discipline crowd of 36,292 stood in a salute to Mays throughout a second of silence when his demise was introduced on the left-field video board within the sixth inning.

Giants supervisor Bob Melvin stated he realized of Mays’ demise proper earlier than the beginning of the sport. Then most of his gamers grew to become conscious as soon as the competition began.

“It is heavy hearts for not solely the Bay Space and New York the place he began, however the baseball world,” Melvin stated. “This is likely one of the true icons of the sport.”

The 62-year-old Melvin, from Palo Alto, California, stated he grew up watching Mays play at Candlestick Park.

“I liked baseball due to Willie Mays,” Melvin stated. “It meant that a lot.”

Melvin stated the Giants would’ve liked if he might’ve watched the matchup Thursday at Rickwood Discipline.

“If doable, it provides extra to going there,” he stated.

Giants starter Logan Webb stated he came upon about Mays’ demise in the course of the Cubs’ announcement, as he was taking the mound to pitch the sixth inning.

“It was arduous at first. I took my hat off and I used to be trying on the scoreboard and simply fascinated with him,” Webb stated. “I type of appeared on the umpire and I used to be like, ‘I believe you’ll want to cease the clock.’ I wanted to take a second to consider it and be prideful for the jersey I used to be carrying, the hat I used to be carrying, understanding Willie did the identical.”

Webb stated the group will play Thursday’s sport in Mays’ honor. Proper fielder Mike Yastrzemski additionally mirrored on his interactions with Mays, recalling how the Corridor of Famer insisted he needs to be taking part in middle discipline when he was first known as up.

“He stated he could not see a lot of the sport however he might see that,” Yastrzemski stated. “It was fairly cool.”

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 performed with the membership solely on the weekends; 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 bother 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.

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

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 19, 2024

At age 20, Mays was the tenth Black participant in main league historical past. After going hitless in his first three video games, Mays’ first profession hit with the Giants 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 house run towards the Dodgers on Oct. 3, 1951, famously often called “The Shot Heard ‘Around the World.”

The Korean Warfare interrupted Mays’ 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 saved 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 received the primary of his two profession NL MVP awards that season, main the league in batting at .345 and hitting 41 house runs to go together with 110 RBIs. Mays received his different NL MVP in 1965.

“I fell in love with baseball due to Willie, plain and easy,” Giants president and chief govt officer Larry Baer stated. “My childhood was outlined by going to Candlestick with my dad, watching Willie patrol middle discipline with grace and the last 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 youngsters, has been one of many joys of my life.”

Throughout Sport 1 of the 1954 World Collection towards Cleveland on the Polo Grounds, Mays made some of the 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 high of the eighth inning. Mays sprinted towards the wall along 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 received the sport 5-2 in 10 innings.

Immediately, the play is just often called “The Catch.”

“It wasn’t no fortunate catch,” Mays famous years later.

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 — when Mays helped the Mets win the NL pennant — Mays retired. In 1979, he was elected to the Baseball Corridor of Fame.

In a press release from the MLB Gamers Affiliation, govt director Tony Clark stated Mays “performed the sport with an earnestness, a pleasure and a perpetual smile that resonated with followers in all places.”

“He will likely be remembered for his integrity, his dedication to excellence and a stage of greatness that spanned generations,” Clark stated.

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

“His unbelievable achievements and statistics don’t start to explain the awe that got here with watching Willie Mays dominate the sport in each approach conceivable,” Manfred stated in his assertion. “We’ll always remember this true Large on and off the sphere. On behalf of Main League Baseball, I lengthen my deepest condolences to Willie’s household, his mates throughout our sport, Giants followers in all places, and his numerous admirers the world over.”

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

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and The Related Press contributed to this report.