[111] He hit two home runs on June24 and stole home in a 53 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. [277][278] He signed a lifetime contract with the team in 1993 and helped to muster public enthusiasm for building Pac Bell Park, which opened in 2000. [48], Before a game in Houston on May6, 1968, Astros owner Roy Hofheinz presented Mays with a 569-pound birthday cake for his 37th birthdaythe pounds represented every home run Mays had hit in his career. He credited these adjustments with improving his batting average,[64] as he batted .450 with 25 RBI in his next 20 games. [38] The Polo Grounds featured an unusual horseshoe shape, with relatively short left field (280 feet (85m)) and right field (258 feet (79m)) lines but the deepest center field in baseball (483 feet (147m)). Willie Mays is turning 90, and no mistaking that number. Durocher, speechless for perhaps the first time in his life, finally broke his silence and asked Mays what he was hitting. Many popular songs reference Mays. On his 90th birthday, it was announced that HBO is producing a documentary about Mays' life, and it's expected to. [293] He made multiple appearances as the mystery guest on the long-running game show What's My Line? Willie Mays Robinson was important to all blacks. "[150][g] The next night, Mays hit one that he considered his most dramatic. [132], In Game1 of the World Series, a 62 loss to New York, Mays recorded three hits. [57], After his induction into the Army on May29, Mays reported to Fort Eustis in Virginia, where he spent much of his time playing on military baseball teams with other major leaguers. [312][309] Willie Howard Mays, Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "The Say Hey Kid", is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder who spent almost all of his 22-season career playing for the New York/San Francisco Giants, before finishing with the New York Mets. Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born on May6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama, a primarily black company town near Fairfield. [f][102] Mays had his first serious injury in 1959, a collision with Sammy White in spring training that resulted in 35 stitches in his leg, but he was ready by the start of the season. He never drank, never smoked, watched his diet and rarely went clubbing. [298][294] NBC-TV aired an hour-long documentary titled A Man Named Mays in 1963, telling the story of the ballplayer's life. [137] He considered the home run one of his most important, along with his first and the four-home-run game. Stunned, Giants manager Leo Durocher called Mays directly and said, "Quit costing the ball club money with long-distance phone calls and join the team. [14] His father raised him[15] and two girls, Sarah and Ernestine. In the game against the Phillies, Mays reached second base on an error, stole third, and scored the winning run on a Hank Sauer single, all on plays close enough that he had to slide to make each one. [186], Mays got off to a tortuous start to the 1972 season, batting .184 through his first 19 games. Initially, we published one a day . However, the report did not find Mays guilty of any wrongdoing. He batted .236 with four home runs in 34 games. [143] While he batted under .300 (.296) for the first time since 1956, he led the NL with 47 home runs and ranked second with 121 runs scored and 111 RBI. Willie Mays, the legendary Giant, had a hard time buying a house in San Francisco. It has long been associated with fertility, rebirth, and love. [63] After he batted .250 in his first 20 games, Durocher moved him from third to fifth in the batting order and again encouraged him to stop attempting to pull the ball and try to get hits to right field. Same pitch," Mays replied. [203] In 66 games, Mays batted a career-low .211 with six home runs. Willie's father was good-natured and spent a lot of time with his son Willie showing him the finer points of baseball. The Treniers recorded the most famous one"Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song)"in 1954, with Mays himself participating in the recording. He won a batting title, four home run titles and four stolen base titles. [153][154] He scored 118 runs, the 12th year in a row he had scored at least 100 runs in a season. Willie's albums including Shotgun Willie and Stardust topped the charts. Same pitch, too. In May 1972, the 41-year-old Mays was traded to the New York Mets for pitcher Charlie Williams and $50,000 ($282,856 today). [280] The Giants retired Mays's number 24 in May 1972. It was officially retired in 2022. At 90 years old, Mays is still alive and appears to be doing quite well. Baseball fans also refer to him by the nicknames "The Say Hey Kid" and "Buck." In 1948, he was drafted by the Negro American League as a player for the Birmingham Black Barons. [146] Johnson kicked him in the head and nearly knocked him out. [264][265][266] In the urban game of hitting a rubber ball with an adapted broomstick handle, Mays could hit a shot that measured "five sewers" (the distance of six consecutive New York City manhole covers, nearly 450 feet (140m). [263], Mays was a popular figure in Harlem, New York's predominantly African-American neighborhood and the home of the Polo Grounds. The news comes on the same day that Mays is celebrating his 90th . Willie,s number 24 had been unofficially retired by the Mets as well, although issued a few times after his two-year passage with the team. [119] According to Mays, he had been unsure if he would even play because of food poisoning. Shake the hand that shook the hand of P.T. does willie mays have siblings. Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born on May 6, 1931, in the African American mill town of Westfield, Alabama. The siblings have followed a similar path with their older cousin. [134] It was Mays' last World Series appearance as a Giant. He held the NL record for career home runs from 1966 until Henry Aaron passed him during the 1972 season, during which time he became the second player and the first right-handed hitter to hit 600 home runs. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Lee Walls hit a fly ball to center field, which Mays caught for the final out as the Giants advanced to the World Series against the Yankees. [48] He stole 338 bases in his career. [48] In 1969, new Giants' manager Clyde King moved Mays to the leadoff position in the batting lineup because Mays was hitting fewer home runs. [231] His signature play was his "basket catch," the technique that displayed Mayss stylistic flash as opposed to the pure raw skill that was on display when he made "The Catch" in the 1954 World Series. [103][104][105] Against the Reds in August, Mays broke a finger but kept it a secret to prevent opposing pitchers from targeting it. [48] By the end of his career, Mays had won a Gold Glove Award 12 times, a record for outfielders today (shared by Roberto Clemente). [143] Ruben Amaro, Sr., hit a ball to the scoreboard at Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium. When Margherite Wendell Chapman and Willie Mays were together, they lived in San Francisco's Sherwood Forest neighborhood. [A]nyone who played with him or against him would agree that he is the best. "[260] Hirsch wrote "It would be nave to think Mays never took amphetamines" but admits that Mays's amphetamine use has never been proven, calling Mays "the most famous player who supposedly took amphetamines". While there, he served as a special assistant to the casino's president and as a greeter. Rigney stopped giving Mays as much direction, trusting his star player's ability and instinct. [48][94], Dwindling attendance and the desire for a new ballpark prompted the Giants to move to San Francisco following the 1957 season. [222], The batting stance Mays employed showed the influence of one of his childhood favorites, Joe DiMaggio. More bio, uniform, draft, salary info With the Giants trailing the Houston Astros by two runs with two outs in the ninth, Mays swung and missed at Claude Raymond's first two pitches, took three balls to load the count, and fouled off three pitches before homering on the ninth pitch. Father - Cat Mays Mother - Annie Satterwhite: Siblings: N/A: School: All-black high School: College: Fairfield Industrial High School: Religion: Christian: Nationality: American: Zodiac Sign: Taurus: . [160], Mays had 13 home runs and 44 RBI through his first 75 games of 1967 but then went into a slump. "I do not recall hearing another ovation given a man after the pitcher has started to work on him," Mays biographer Arnold Hano wrote. He hit 660 home runs. All questions regarding. You won't be here to help me," Durocher told his star, "Willie Mays doesn't need help from anyone. [56] Before he left to join the Army, Mays played the first few weeks of the 1952 season with the Giants. [188][189] Mays quibbled with manager Charlie Fox, leaving the stadium before the start of a doubleheader on April30 without telling him. What kind of numbers would Mays have put up there? The couple adopted a five-day-old baby named Michael in 1959. [179] Against the Mets on May31, he hit a game-tying eighth-inning home run, saved multiple runs with his defense at first base, and performed a strategic base-running maneuver with one out in the 11th inning, running slowly from second to third base to draw a throw from Tim Foli and allow Al Gallagher to reach first safely. Millions of kids wanted to be like Willie Mays. <p>1970 Topps Carlos May Chicago White Sox #18 C26 Lee May Brothers Autograph. Willie Mays Sr, or Cat as he was known, played in an industrial baseball team league for the mills and factories around Birmingham, Alabama and by all accounts was a decent player with good speed. His over-the-shoulder catch of a Vic Wertz fly ball in Game1 of the 1954 World Series is one of the most famous baseball plays of all time. [111], Defensively, Mays was one of the best outfielders of all time, as evidenced by his record 12 Gold Gloves as an outfielder. [32][31] Mays helped Birmingham advance to the 1948 Negro World Series, which they lost 41 to the Homestead Grays. I figured there had to be a relay. I sacrificed a bad marriage and I sacrificed a good marriage. He was a two-time MVP and is included in the all-time leaders' list in home runs and hits. After that, he went for nine days without a home run. But I'm here today because baseball is my number one love. [38], Playing excellent defense, Mays was called up by the Giants on May 24, 1951. "I was thinking of the best way to get the run in," Mays explained the bunt, pointing out that McCovey and Bonds were due up next. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Willie Howard Mays. [224] The team travelled around the southern United States the first two years, attaining crowds of about 5,000 in 1955 but drawing less than 1,000 in 1956, partly because of the advent of television. [185] In Game3, Mays attempted an unsuccessful sacrifice bunt in a 11 tie in the sixth with no outs and Tito Fuentes on second base, a move that surprised reporters covering the game. The day Pvt. In 1958, after the Giants had left New York for San Francisco, an old man approached Mays during . [90][91] He stole home in a 43 loss to the Cubs on May21. On the basketball team, he led players at all-black high schools in Jefferson County in scoring. June 09, 2021 6 min read. [48][245] Third in home runs with 660 when he retired, he still ranks sixth as of June 2021. [51] Mays was in the on-deck circle on October3 when Bobby Thomson hit a three-run homer to win the three-game NL tie-breaker series 21. Here's a look at the life of Baseball Hall of Fame center fielder Willie Mays. He found massive success in playing with the New York Giants and San Francisco Giants. [172] In an April game, Mays collided with Bobby Bonds while reaching his glove over the wall but made a catch to rob Bobby Tolan of a home run. Owner Horace Stoneham could not guarantee Mays an income after retirement and the Mets offered Mays a coaching position upon his retirement. He surprised sportswriters like Red Smith when he drew cheers from fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Giants' archrivals, in his last game before reporting. [214][219] Mays led off the 1968 All-Star Game with a single, moved to second on an error, advanced to third base on a wild pitch, and scored the only run of the game when McCovey hit into a double play; for his contributions, Mays won the All-Star Game MVP Award for the second time. [71][72] Mays hit only five home runs after July 28 but upped his batting average from .326 to .345 to win the team's first batting title since Bill Terry's in 1930. [167] Mays privately chafed at the move, later comparing it to "O. J. Simpson blocking for the fullback". He holds major league records for games as a center fielder (2,829), putouts as an outfielder (7,095) and extra-inning home runs (22), and ended his career behind only Ty Cobb in total games as an outfielder (2,842) and ranking seventh in assists (188) and third in double plays (59) in center field. [133] The Series went all the way to a Game7, which the Yankees led 10 in the bottom of the ninth. [255][231][256] "He was one of the best fielders of all time," Schoenfield writes, noting Mays has the eighth-most fielding runs saved (a sabermetric stat) of all-time. [54] Mays hit poorly while the Giants lost the series 42. "I started thinking home run every time I got up," Mays explained the slump. [268] Naturally, his approach had its critics. [109], After spending their first two years in San Francisco at Seals Stadium, the Giants moved into the new Candlestick Park in 1960. By Joe Posnanski. [78][79] The Giants won the game in the 10th inning on a three-run home run by Dusty Rhodes, with Mays scoring the winning run. [272] During his time with the Mets, Lee Mazzilli learned the basket catch from him. But it wasn't for lack of funds. "After I got back into the lineup, I never felt strong again for the rest of the season," he recalled. [314][315] In 2018, blind sportswriter Ed Lucas wrote that Mays had told him a "few years ago" that he had actually gone blind. Everyone knows about the stickball games he played in the Harlem streets. [143], A torn shoulder muscle sustained in a 1965 game against the Atlanta Braves impaired Mays's ability to throw. Tweet. [194] In his Mets debut against the Giants on May14, Mays put New York ahead to stay with a fifth-inning home run, receiving ecstatic applause from the fans at Shea Stadium. [209][210] His final at bat came in Game3, where he pinch-hit for Tug McGraw and grounded into a force play. Mays is the godfather of Barry Bonds, whose father, Bobby Bonds, was a friend of his when they were Giants teammates. Willie Mays was among the San Francisco Giants paying tribute to legend Willie McCovey on Nov. 8, 2018. "You should have had it long before this. [48][250] Mays's 24 appearances on an All-Star Game roster are tied with Musial for second all-time, behind only Aaron's 25. Barra speculates this may have been because San Francisco fans were comparing Mays unfavorably with Joe DiMaggio, the most famous center fielder ever to come from San Francisco. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in . [117][118] Mays had one of his best games on April30, 1961, hitting four home runs and driving in eight runs against the Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium. PUBLISHED: November 7, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. | UPDATED: November 7, 2022 at 3:48 p.m. SAN FRANCISCO In over 30 years of filmmaking, Nelson George has been to a lot of movie premieres. 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. Written by on August 7, 2021.Posted in News.News. [212], Mays's 24 appearances on an All-Star Game roster are tied with Musial for second all-time, behind only Hank Aaron's 25. [205] A shoulder injury to Rusty Staub prompted the Mets to shift Don Hahn to right field and start Mays in center at the start of the Series. "[270], After Mays retired as a player, he remained in the New York Mets organization as their hitting instructor until the end of the 1979 season. 9. [136] On July2, when Spahn and Juan Marichal each threw 15 scoreless innings, Mays hit a 16th-inning home run off Spahn, giving the Giants a 10 victory. The 1951 Bowman is the only recognized Willie Mays rookie card and one of the most valuable baseball cards in the hobby and easily among his most expensive. [125] Mays said in 1959 that he did not mind the booing, but he admitted in a 1961 article that the catcalls were bothering him. "[202] Five days later, the Mets honored him on Willie Mays Night, proclaimed by New York City mayor John Lindsay, where he thanked the New York fans and said goodbye to baseball. [48] He batted .271 and stole 23 bases. [216] At Cleveland Stadium in the 1963 All-Star Game, he made the finest catch, snagging his foot under a wire fence in center field as he grasped a long fly ball hit by Joe Pepitone that might have given the AL the lead. [254] David Schoenfield of ESPN, James, and Barra each think he should have won the NL MVP Award at least seven times. Could you give me some sort of vitamin?' [275] At a press conference with Mays and Mantle (reinstated from a similar suspension), Ueberroth said, "I am bringing back two players who are more a part of baseball than perhaps anyone else. Then I found out there wasn't. On May 24, 1951, the MLB selected Willie to play centerfield for the New York . [261], Along with Mantle (of the Yankees) and Snider (of the Dodgers), Mays was part of a triumvirate of center fielders from the New York teams of the 1950s who would be elected to the Hall of Fame. Baseball's oldest living Hall of Famer, Willie Mays, will be the subject of a new HBO production expected to premiere next year. After the home run, Spahn asked him, "Was it anything like the same feeling?" Mays joined the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League in 1948, playing with them until the Giants signed him once he graduated from high school in 1950, then won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1951 after hitting 20 home runs to help the Giants win their first pennant in 14 years. Willie Mays (1950-73). [294] Through a friendship with Tony Owen and Donna Reed, he was able to appear in three episodes of The Donna Reed Show. He garnered 409 of the 432 ballots cast (94.68%). "[241] "If somebody came up and hit .450, stole 100 bases and performed a miracle in the field every day, Id still look you in the eye and say Willie was better," Durocher said. Mays believed this late motion added power when he swung. [33], Several major league teams were interested in signing Mays, but they had to wait until he graduated from high school to offer him a contract. The next year, 70 years ago this summer, a 16-year-old William Howard Mays, Jr., shared a baseball field with his dad for the last time. Mays missed about 266 games because of his military service. "Happy 90th Birthday to an all-American icon, Willie Mays," Pelosi wrote. Mays won the first of 12 consecutive Gold Gloves for his play in center field. Like. [262] The three were often the subject of debates amongst the New York fans as to who was the best center fielder in the city. Baseball is almost like oxygen for Willie Mays. [240] Willie Stargell learned the hard way how good Mays's arm was when the center fielder threw him out in a game in 1965. "[257] Sportscaster Curt Gowdy said of Mays, "Willie Mays was the best player I ever saw. [127], Mays led the team in eight offensive categories in 1962: runs (130), doubles (36), home runs (49), RBI (141), stolen bases (18), walks (78), on-base percentage (.384), and slugging percentage (.613). After spending most of the next two years in the United States Army during the Korean War, he was named the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1954 after winning the batting title with a .345 average and hitting 41 home runs. [299] In 1972, Mays voiced himself in the animated fictional special Willie Mays and the Say-Hey Kid, produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. Mays had hits in three out of 10 at bats in the Dodger series but some San Francisco fans still booed him. [213] He "strove for All-Star glory" according to Hirsch, taking the game seriously in his desire to support his NL teammates. He stuck with the SF Giants for 20 years until he was. [140], Normally the third batter in the lineup, Mays was moved to fourth in 1964 before returning to third in subsequent years. "[171] In 117 games, he batted .283 with 13 home runs and 58RBI. "[69], During the first part of his career, Mays often participated in barnstorming tours after his regular season with the Giants ended. [21] Cat Mays worked as a railway porter and later at the steel mills in Westfield. Willie Mays is a New York Giants legend, known for his all-around play. [48], Mays tied Mel Ott's NL record of 511 home runs on April24, 1966, against the Astros. Mays is considered one the greatest players of all time for his acrobatic fielding, steady hitting, and impressive . how well do you know about Willie Mays? His speed and powerful arm in the outfield, assets throughout his career, were diminished in 1973, and he only made the All-Star team because of a special intervention by NL President Chub Feeney. He spent a month this year with his old team, the San Francisco Giants, at spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz., where baseball's greatest living. "[49] However, the Giants went 4018 in the season's final 58 games, winning their last seven of the year to finish the regular season tied with the Dodgers. Homes - Celebrity - Sports - Baseball. "I couldn't believe Mays could throw that far. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, only his first year of eligibility. For all its gentility, its almost leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps. [52][53] In Game1, Mays, Hank Thompson, and Monte Irvin comprised the first all-African-American outfield in major league history. On May 24, 1951, the MLB selected Willie to play centerfield for the New York Giants, who have since rebranded as the San Francisco Giants. [286] Six years later, Obama honored Mays with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Emerald was one of Cleopatra's favorite gems. Sports Collectibles carries all the Willie Mays memorabilia. [251] He holds individually the All-Star Game records for most at bats (75), hits (23), runs scored (20), and stolen bases (six); additionally, he is tied with Musial for the most extra-base hits (eight) and total bases (40), and he is tied with Brooks Robinson for the most triples (three) in All-Star Game history. [147][148], Mays won his fourth and final NL Player of the Month award in August 1965 (.363, 17home runs, 29RBI). [273], In October 1979, Mays took a job at the Bally's Park Place casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Willie Mays has been married twice. Mays finished the 1963 season batting .314 with 38 home runs and 103 RBI, stealing only eight bases, his fewest since 1954. What is the net worth of Willie Mays? [285] On July14, 2009, he accompanied Barack Obama to St. Louis aboard Air Force One for that year's All-Star Game. Kuhn was concerned about gambling infiltrating baseball, but Hirsch points out that Mays's role was merely as a greeter, he was not allowed to place bets at the casino as part of his contract, and the casino did not engage in sports betting. Pin. "[108][215] He scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning of the first All-Star Game of 1961 on a Clemente single in a 54 win for the NL. [92] 1957 was the first season the Gold Glove Awards were presented. Mays hit .313/.381/.583 with 34 home runs, 43 doubles, 125 runs, 104 RBIs, a league-best 27 steals, won another Gold Glove (he'd win 12 in . [113][114] "I don't like to talk about 1960," Mays said after the final game of a season in which the Giants, pre-season favorites for the pennant, finished fifth out of eight NL teams. [89] In his 2010 authorized biography of Mays, James S. Hirsch wrote Mays had "one of his most exhilarating excursions" on April21. Early in his career, Mays appeared to be more responsive to mail requests, but by the early 1970s he often used a ghost signer to handle them. Rigney batted Mays leadoff in the final game, hoping to give him more at-bats and a shot at the title. [230] When the Giants moved to Candlestick Park, Mays found that pulling the ball worked better at home but hitting to right and center worked better on the road; he tried to adjust his style depending on where he was playing. They played 20 games in Mexico in 1958, but Mays did not lead a team in 1959; Stoneham wanted him to rest because he was suffering from a broken finger. "Same feeling. [28][29] Later that year, Mays joined the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League, managed by Piper Davis, a teammate of Mays' father on the industrial team. [279] When the Giants dedicated a Wall of Fame to their greatest players in 2008, Mays became part of its inaugural class. President Barack Obama presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. The NL won 53, and Mays was named the All-Star Game MVP. [161][163] Afflicted by a fever on July14, Mays left that day's game after the sixth inning because of fatigue and spent five days in a hospital. [221] In appreciation of his All-Star records, Ted Williams said, "They invented the All-Star Game for Willie Mays. [214] In the first All-Star Game of 1959, Mays hit a game-winning triple against Whitey Ford; Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that "Harvey Kuenn gave it honest pursuit, but the only center fielder in baseball who could have caught it hit it. [224] In 1960, Mays also did not barnstorm, but he and the Giants did go to Tokyo, playing an exhibition series of 16 games against the Yomiuri Giants. Willie Mays Inarguably one of the best ball-players to ever don a cap and uniform, the "Say Hey Kid's" overall ability to run, catch, throw, hit, and mash are unrivaled. [227] Mays channelled his energies into the swing by abstaining from extra motion and opening his hips. "[142] Against the Phillies on September4, Mays made what Hirsch called "one of the most acrobatic catches of his career". [126][125] Whatever the reason, the boos, which had begun to subside after Mays's four-home run game in 1961, grew even quieter in 1962, as the Giants enjoyed their best season since moving to San Francisco. Mays, who had been playing closer to home plate than normal, ran at top speed after the ball. [98][99] Mays shared the inaugural NL Player of the Month award with Stan Musial in May, batting .405 with 12home runs and 29RBI; he won a second award in September (.434, 4home runs, 18RBIs). [38], Mays's flashy style of play stemmed partly from his days in the Negro leagues. [46] He would bat close to .290 for the rest of the season. Teams of star players would travel from city to city playing exhibition games for local fans. "I threw you the first one and now I've seen the five-hundredth," Spahn said. However, the Mets won the NL East. [97] Consequently, Rigney did not play Mays much in spring training hoping to use his best hitter every day of the regular season. 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