(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
IN MEMORIAM
...Willie Mays...
(1931 - 2024) |
 Major League- and Giants-legend and Hall off Famer Willie Mays passed away
Nederlands
 PALO ALTO, California (USA) -
Legendary centerfielder Willie Mays, who played in 22 Major League-seasons, 20-plus of them with the New York/San Francisco Giants, has passed away on Tuesday (June 18) at the age of 93.
Willie Mays, who was nicknamed 'The Say Hey Kid', played in 24 All Star Games, was named Most Valuable Player twice and led the National League in homeruns four times.
Willie Mays was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.
Mays was the oldest living Hall of Famer.
That title now is is held by short stop Luis Aparicio, who is 90 years old.
Earlier this year, on April 15, Whitey Herzog, who was the second oldest Hall of Famer behind Mays, passed away.
Herzog was a longtime Major League Manager, including five seasons with Kansas City Royals and eleven with St. Louis Cardinals.
He was an outfielder in 1956-1963.
Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born on May 6, 1931 in Westfield, Alabama.
In his home-state Alabama, in 1948 Mays went on to play for Birmingham Black Barons, one of the leading teams in the Negro American League.
Before that, he briefly had played for the Chattanooga Choo-Choos, a minor league team of the Negro Leagues.
In December 2020, Major League Baseball announced that after several decades of research that seven former Negro Leagues would be recognized as Major Leagues.
The Negro leagues were professional baseball leagues in the USA comprised of teams with African-American players from 1920 until the late fifties.
On May 28 of this year, MLB announced that it had integrated Negro league-statistics of some 3,400 players into its records.
Mays immeditialy showed his talent and after he graduated from High School in 1950, he was signed by the New York Giants.
A year later, he made his Major League-debut.
Coincidentally, Mays made his debut in the Negro League in 1948 and in the Major League in 1951 on the same day, May 25.
In the Major League, Mays developed into one of the most and iconic players ever.
He is generally known as the best all-round player ever.
Mays passing comes two days before he was to be honored at Rickwood Field on Thursday.
On that day, San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals will meet in a regular season-game played at famous Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
This is the oldest existing professional baseball stadium in the USA, built in 1910 as the home-site for the Birmingham Barons, which then was a Minor League-team.
Rickwood Field also was the home of the Birmingham Black Barons, which played in the Negro Leagues in 1920-1960.
Amongst the players who played for this team were legends Willie Mays (1948-1949), pitcher Satchel Paige (1927-1930), first baseman Mule Suttles (1924-1925) and short stop Willie Wells (1941), who were all inducted into Hall of Fame.
Since 1988, the current Birmingham Barons (Double-A, Chicago White Sox) play their home-games at Regions Field, but also play some games at Rickwood Field on special occasions.
Last year, Major League Baseball announced that a regular season-game would be played this year at Rickwood Field to honor and salute the Negro Leagues in obervance of Juneteenth, called MLB at Rickwood Field - A Tribute to the Negro Leagues.
On Monday, the day before his passing, Mays had released a statement that he would not attend the game at Rickwood Field due to health-reasons.
On Wednesday-evening (June 18), Birmingham Barons and Montgomery Biscuits played a Double-A game in the historic stadium as part of the salute.
The teams played in the uniforms of the former Negro League-teams Birmingham Black Barons and Montgomery Gray Sox.
It was during this game that the spectators were informed of the passing of Willie Mays, which was followed by a standing ovation for the legend.
San Francisco Giants played an away-game at Chicago Cubs on Wednesday-evening.
During that game, the passing of Mays was announced in the sixth inning on the scoreboard in Wrigley Field, showing a photo of the iconic player.
In his first Major League-season (1951), Willie Mays hit 20 homeruns, scored 59 runs, had 68 runs batted in and batted .274 to help the Giants win their first National League-title in 14 years.
After having gone hitless in his first twelve at bats, Mays recorded his first Major League-basehit on May 28, which was a homerun off of future Hall of Famer Warren Spahn (Boston Braves).
After the 1951 season, Mays was named Rookie of the Year.
In its first World Series since 1937, New York Giants, led by legendary Manager Leo Durocher, lost to rival New York Yankees (4-2).
After the 1951 season, Mays was drafted by the US Army to serve in the Korean War.
He was able to play in 34 games early in the 1952 season, but then had to leave to join the Army.
He missed the remainder of the 1952 season and the complete 1953 season, while serving at Fort Eustis in Virginia.
Mays rejoined his team in Spring Training 1954.
On Opening Day 1954, Mays returned to Major League-action with a homerun off of Carl Erskine (Brooklyn Dodgers).
On April 16 of this year, Erskine was one of six former Major League-players who passed away in a brief period of less than two weeks.
Mays went on to hit 41 homeruns, had 110 RBI's, scored 119 runs, batted a league-leading .345 and was named Most Valuable Player of the National League.
In that year, he won the World Series with the Giants, a 4-0 sweep against Cleveland Indians, and accounted for the defensive highlight.
Not only of that World Series, but probably of all-time.
In the eighth inning of Game 1 of the World Series, played at the historic Polo Grounds in New York, Mays made his famous 'over-the-shoulder' catch in front of the wall, which was hit by Vic Wertz and caught the ball in spectacular fashion.
It was reported that the ball traveled some 425 feet (130 meters).
It became one of the most famous plays ever and is frequently shown in highlight-reels and simpy became known as 'The Catch'.
And everyone knows what it is.
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...Willie Mays makes 'The Catch' in the 1954 World Series... |
In 1956, Willie Mays finished the season with 36 homeruns and 40 stolen bases (career-high), becoming only the second player in history with a 30-30 season.
Ken Williams (St. Louis Browns) was the first in 1922.
The New York Giants moved to San Francisco after the 1957 season.
Mays continued to play for the team through May 11, 1972.
On that day, the outfielder was traded to New York Mets for whom he played in the remainder of the 1972 season, as well as in 1973.
In his first season in San Francisco in 1958, Mays finished with a career-high .347 batting average.
He also stole 31 bases, which was his third season in a row with 30 or more.
On April 30, 1961, Willie Mays hit four homeruns in an away-game against Milwaukee Braves.
At that moment, only eight players had done the same since 1894.
Amongst them were legends Lou Gehrig (in 1932) and Gil Hodges (1950).
After the accomplishment by Mays, it took 15 years before the next player would hit four homeruns in one game.
That was Mike Schmidt (Philadelphia Phillies) in 1976.
Only 18 players have accomplished this feat.
In 1963, Willie Mays signed what was then a record-setting contract of 105,000 dollar per season.
On July 2 of that season, Mays accounted for the lone run in an 1-0 win by the Giants against Milwaukee Braves.
The game was a pitching-duel between Juan Marichal (Giants) and Warren Spahn (Braves), who both threw fifteen scoreless innings.
In the 16th inning, Mays homered off of Spahn.
In 1964, then-Manager Alvin Dark named Mays captain of the Giants-team.
With that, Mays became the first African-American to be named captain of a Major League-team.
Mays led the National League with 47 homeruns.
In 1965, Mays became the fifth player in history to reach the mark of 500 homeruns.
Mays finished the season with a career-high of 52 homeruns.
He batted .317, had 112 RBI's and was named National League MVP for the second time in his career.
In April 1966, Willie Mays hit his 511th homerun to tie the National League homerun-record, which was set by Mel Ott.
He broke the record nine days later.
In 1969, Mays hit his 600th homerun.
In 1971, Willie Mays was the first recipient of the Commissioner's Award, which was renamed Roberto Clemente Award in 1973.
After having played in 19 games in the first weeks of the 1972 season, Mays was traded to the New York Mets on May 11 for pitcher Charlie Williams and an undisclosed amount of money.
With that, Mays returned to New York, where he had began his Major League-career and had remained popular.
In the remainder of the 1972 season, Mays played in 88 games for the Mets, which then managed by Yogi Berra, the legendary former catcher of rival New York Yankees.
In 1973, Mays played in 66 games for New York and was selected for his 24th All Star Game.
He hit six homeruns, but batted only .211.
Willie Mays retired after the 1973 World Series at age 42.
In his long, illustrous and impressing career, Mays finished with a .302 batting average.
In his 22 seasons, he played in 2,992 games, scored 2,062 runs, collected 3,293 basehits, including 660 homeruns, batted in 1,903 runs and got 10,881 at bats.
At the moment of his retirement, Mays was the National League-recordholder in runs scored.
He was in third place on the all-time list with his 660 homeruns behind Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron.
The latter was still active and would move into first place in 1974.
Mays currently is in sixth place.
During the 2004 season, Barry Bonds passed Mays by hitting his 661st homerun.
Mays was the godfather of Bonds, who is the current all-time leader with 762, seven more than Hank Aaron, who had been the leader since 1976.
Mays is the Major League-recordholder in games played as centerfielder (2,829) and putouts for outfielders (7,095).
His games played are the second highest total for outfielders.
Only legendary Ty Cobb played in more games with 2,842.
Amongst his longtime teammates in San Francisco were Willie McCovey (14 seasons), Jim Davenport, Juan Marichal (both 13 seasons), Gaylord Perry (10 seasons), Orlando Cepeda (9 seasons), Hal Lanier (8 seasons), Felipe Alou, Jesus Alou, Matty Alou and Tito Fuentes (all 6 seasons).
Other wellknown teammates were Joey Amalfitano, Bobby Bonds, Del Crandall, Alvin Dark, Chuck Hiller, Monte Irvin, Harvey Kuenn, Don Larsen, Manny Mota, Andre Rodgers, Hank Sauer, Red Schoendienst, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Eddie Stankey, Bobby Thomson, Wes Westrum and Hoyt Wilhelm.
...Hall of Fame-plaquette...
...of Willie Mays... |
Willie Mays was known as a five-tool player, excelling in hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning and speed, throwing and fielding.
But he also was known for his enthusiastic way of playing, entertaining the spectators.
In his long career, Mays batted .300 or higher ten times and also collected 100 or more Runs Batted In in ten seasons.
Besides that, Mays led the National League four times in Stolen Bases, as well as in Homeruns.
Mays was the first player in history with 300 homeruns and 300 stolen bases in a career.
For his outstanding defensive skills, Mays won twelve consecutive Gold Glove Awards since 1957, which is still a record for outfielders.
Willie Mays played in 24 All Star Games (1954-1973, two Games were played annually in 1959-1962).
His 24 Games are the second highest total, which he shares with another legend, Stan Musial.
The record is 25, which is held by Hank Aaron, another legendary icon, who passed away in 2021 at age 86.
However, Mays is the All Star Game recordholder with 23 basehits, 20 runs scored, 75 at bats and 6 stolen bases.
From 1974 on, Willie Mays was the Hitting Coach/Instructor of New York Mets through 1979.
In 1986, Mays was named Special Assistant to the President and General Manager of the San Francisco Giants with whom he signed a lifetime contract in 1993.
Over the years, Willie Mays remained a regular guest at home-games of the Giants.
The uniform number of Mays, 24, was retired by San Francisco in 1972 and by the New York Mets in 2022.
San Francisco's current home-site Oracle Park opened in 2000 and is located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza.
A statue of Mays is located in front of the main entrance, which was unveiled in March 2000.
In 2008, Willie Mays was part of a big group of 48 former players who formed the inaugural class to be inducted into the San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame.
In 2017, the World Series MVP Award was renamed Willie Mays World Series MVP Award.
Willie Mays was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1979.
Back then, Mays was the lone player elected in the regular election.
He was inducted together with outfielder Hack Wilson and executive Warren Giles, who were elected in 1979 by the Veterans Committee.
In 1999, Willie Mays was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
On November 24, 2015, Willie Mays was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then American President Barack Obama.
Former Major League-catcher and Manager Yogi Berra received the Medal posthumously.
Berra had passed away two months earlier.
Berra and Mays were part of a group of seventeen persons who were awarded the Medal.
Amongst them were Movie-Director Steven Spielberg, musician Emilio Estefan, singer/actress Gloria Estefan, violinist Itzhak Perlman, composer Stephen Sondheim, singer/actress Barbra Streisand and mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose calculations contributed to the first successsful crewed American spaceflight.
...Willie Mays with President Barack Obama aboard...
...Air Force One on their way to the All Star Game...
...in St. Louis on July 14, 2009...
(© The White House Photostream/Pete Souza/Public Domain) |
Since 1976, thirteen baseball-players have received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
They are Joe DiMaggio (1976), Jackie Robinson (1984, posthumously), Ted Williams (1991), Hank Aaron (2002), Roberto Clemente (2003, posthumously), Frank Robinson (2005), Buck O'Neil (2006, posthumously), Stan Musial (2011), Ernie Banks (2013), Yogi Berra (2015, posthumously), Willie Mays (2015), Babe Ruth (2018, posthumously) and Mariano Rivera (2019).
Longtime Los Angeles Dodgers-broadcaster Vin Scully received the Medal in 2016 from President Barack Obama.
DiMaggio received the Medal from President Gerald Ford, Jackie Robinson was awarded by President Ronald Reagan, Williams by President George H.W. Bush, Aaron, Clemente, Frank Robinson and O'Neil by President George W. Bush, Musial, Banks, Berra and Mays by President Barack Obama and Ruth and Rivera by President Donald Trump.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom was first handed out in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, who reestablished the Award to recognize 'distinguished civilian service in peace time'.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom replaced the Medal of Freedom, which was created in 1945 by then-President Harry S. Truman to honor civilians for their actions during and beyond World War II.
Amongst the recipients of the Medal of Freedom was Major League-catcher Moe Berg in 1945.
In 2022, HBO broadcasted a new documentary of Willie Mays, titled 'Say Hey, Willie Mays!'.
On Tuesday-evening, the San Francisco Giants issued the following statement on behalf of Willie Mays’ family and the Organization:
It is with great sadness that we announce that San Francisco Giants Legend and Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away peacefully this afternoon at the age of 93.
,,My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones'', said Michael Mays.
,,I want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years.
You have been his life’s blood.''
San Francisco Giants-chairman Greg Johnson stated:
,,Today we have lost a true legend.
In the pantheon of baseball greats, Willie Mays’ combination of tremendous talent, keen intellect, showmanship, and boundless joy set him apart.
A 24-time All-Star, the Say Hey Kid is the ultimate Forever Giant.
He had a profound influence not only on the game of baseball, but on the fabric of America.
He was an inspiration and a hero who will be forever remembered and deeply missed.''
...Willie Mays receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom...
...from President Barack Obama in 2015... |
San Francisco Giants President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Baer added:
,,I fell in love with baseball because of Willie, plain and simple.
My childhood was defined by going to Candlestick with my dad, watching Willie patrol centerfield with grace and the ultimate athleticism.
Over the past 30 years, working with Willie, and seeing firsthand his zest for life and unbridled passion for giving to young players and kids, has been one of the joys of my life.''
Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement:
,,All of Major League Baseball is in mourning today as we are gathered at the very ballpark where a career and a legacy like no other began.
Willie Mays took his all-around brilliance from the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League to the historic Giants franchise.
From coast to coast in New York and San Francisco, Willie inspired generations of players and fans as the game grew and truly earned its place as our National Pastime.''
Jane Forbes Clark, Chairman of the Board of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, said:
,,Willie Mays’ passion for the game and incredible talent made him the embodiment of baseball for millions of fans and one of the most beloved players in history.
More than a half century after his playing days, he remained an American treasure and a baseball icon synonymous with love of the game.
His ever-present smile and joyous presence radiated throughout Cooperstown, and we will forever cherish his legacy.
For teammates, opponents and friends, Willie Mays exemplified excellence.''
Former President Barack Obama said in a statement:
,,Willie Mays wasn’t just a singular athlete, blessed with an unmatched combination of grace, skill and power.
He was also a wonderfully warm and generous person - and an inspiration to an entire generation.
I’m lucky to have spent time with him over the years, and Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family.''
The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to the family and friends of Willie Mays, as well as the San Francisco Giants-organization, and wishes them a lot of strength with this big loss.
(June 19)
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| ...A tribute by San Francisco Giants... |
...Major League Baseball remembers Willie Mays... | |
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