Willie Mays

Willie Howard Mays Jr. (May 6, 1931 – June 18, 2024),

“the Say Hey Kid”

Mays was born in Westfield, Alabama. He was regarded as one of the greatest all-around tool players of all time, He Joined the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American legue in 1948 at the age of 17. Playing with them until the giants signed him upon his graduation from Highschool in 1950. He debuted his career wth the giants and won rookie of the year in 1951 by hitting 20 home runs wihich helped the Giants to win their first pennant in 14 years.

The rest of his career in the National League (NL),was playing for the New York / San Francisco Giants and New York Mets. an All-Star 24 times and the first NL player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season, the first player in history to reach both 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases, 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards after their creation in 1957, still a record for outfielders; he led NL center fielders in double plays five times and assists three times. In 1954, he won the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, leading the Giants to their last World Series title before their move to the West Coast. His over-the-shoulder catch in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series is one of the most famous baseball plays of all time. After the Giants moved to San Francisco, Mays went on to win another MVP Award in 1965 and also led the Giants to the 1962 World Series, this time losing to the New York Yankees…A classic example of a five-tool player.

Mays was an All-Star 24 times, tying for the second-most appearances in history. He led the NL in home runs four times and in slugging percentage five times while batting over .300 and posting 100 runs batted in (RBIs) ten times each. Mays was also at the forefront of a resurgence of speed as an offensive weapon in the 1950s, leading the league in stolen bases four times, triples three times, and runs twice; his 179 steals during the decade topped the major leagues. He was the first NL player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season, the first player in history to reach both 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases, and the second player and the first right-handed hitter to hit 600 home runs. Mays also set standards for defensive brilliance, winning 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards after their creation in 1957, still a record for outfielders; he led NL center fielders in double plays five times and assists three times.

He ws classic example of a five-tool player, Mays finished his career with a .302 batting average. At the time of his retirement, he held the NL record for career runs scored (2,062), and ranked second in league history behind Stan Musial in games played (2,992), third in home runs (660), at bats (10,881), runs batted in (1,903), total bases (6,066), extra-base hits (1,323) and walks (1,464), fourth in hits (3,293), fifth in slugging percentage (.557), and eighth in doubles (523); his 140 triples ranked fourth among players active after 1945. He holds major league records for games as a center fielder (2,829), putouts as an outfielder (7,095), and ended his career behind only Ty Cobb in total games as an outfielder (2,842), ranking seventh in assists (188) and third in double plays (59) in center field. Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 in his first year of eligibility, and was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999. Mays was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015

Mays finished his career with a .302 batting average. At the time of his retirement, he held the NL record for career runs scored (2,062), and ranked second in league history behind Stan Musial in games played (2,992), third in home runs (660). After leading the Giants team’s trip to the 1973 World Series he retired and then served as a coach for the Mets for the rest of the decade before rejoining the Giants as a special assistant to the president and general manager.

In 1956, Willie Mays married Marghuerite Wendell Chapman, who later adopted their son Michael in 1959. The couple faced challenges and eventually separated in 1962, finalizing their divorce in 1963, with Marghuerite primarily raising Michael thereafter..

Willie Mays met his next wife Mae Louise Allen who was introduced to him by Wilt Chamberlin in 1971. She was raised in the racially segregated Homewood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she was an accomplished athletic sprinter. She earned a degree in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in social work from Howard University. She worked in child welfare and, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, became a “pioneer in getting single adoptions started in San Francisco.” She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1997 and battled with this for 16 years in Atherton where the both resided. they wer married for 41 years. She passed away on Friday April 19, 2013 where he cared for her at their Atherton home due to the Alzheimer’s disease. She was 74.

Throughout his life, Mays maintained close ties with Bobby Bonds his teammate on the Giants and his family, becoming the godfather of Barry Bonds.

Health challenges in his later years, including glaucoma, significantly affected Mays’ daily life. By 2005, he had to stop driving and playing golf due to his condition. Although his vision deteriorated over time, reports varied on the extent of his blindness, with some indicating that while his vision was compromised, he could still watch television games with difficulty.

In 1957, upon the Giants’ move to San Francisco, Mays attempted to purchase a home in the Sherwood Forest neighborhood but faced racial discrimination when his offer was rejected due to objections from neighbors about an African American family moving in.

Willie Mays spent his final years in Atherton, California, under the care of his personal assistant and caretaker. Sadly on June 18, 2024 at the age of 93 he passed away due to heart failureat a Nursing home care facility in Atherton, California, California. His final public statement, released the day before, expressed his decision to remain in California rather than attend the upcoming MLB game at Rickwood Field between the Giants and Cardinals on June 20.

Numerous politicians and professional athletes paid homage to Mays following his passing, including President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Fans gathered at Mays’ statue outside Oracle Park to leave tributes and honor his legacy.

During the game at Rickwood Field on June 21, 2024, the San Francisco Giants wore a commemorative patch bearing the number “24” in honor of Mays. His Hall of Fame plaque was relocated to the site where Mays began his illustrious career. Michael Mays, Willie’s son, delivered remarks before the game, and a tribute video by Bill Greason, Mays’ former Negro leagues teammate, was shown on the stadium’s video board prior to the first pitch.

Career Accomplishments

• 24× All Star 1954- 1973
• World Series Champion 1954
• 2× NL MVP 1954- 1965
• NL Rookie of the Year (1951)
• 12× Golden Glove Award (1957–1968)
• Roberto Clemente Award (1971)
• NL Batting Champion (1954)
• 4× NL Home Run Leader (1955, 1962, 1964, 1965)
• 4× NL Stolen Base Leader (1956–1959)
• 4 Home Runs in one game on April 30, 1961
• Retired Sanfrancisco Giants #24
• New York Mets #24 retired
• San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame
• Was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999
• Major League Baseball All-Time Team
• Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted in 1979 with 94.7% of votes on first-ballot eligibility
• Mays was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015.

In his honor Landmarks

Willie Mays Park