Willie Mays was a legendary MLB outfielder who played most of his career for the New York/San Francisco Giants. He was often called the greatest baseball player of all time.
· Died: Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (Who else died on June 18?)
· Details of death: Died of heart failure at the age of 93.
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MLB career
Mays was widely considered one of the greatest players in baseball history: a rare “five-tool player” whose exceptional excellence spanned blazing speed on the bases, fielding, a powerful throwing arm, and hitting for both power and average.
Mays started out in the Negro League as a teenager in high school, before signing with the New York Giants in 1951. He moved with them to San Francisco in 1958, remaining with the team for more than two decades before finishing out his career with the New York Mets from 1972 to 1973. Nicknamed “The Say Hey Kid,” the popular Mays won fans over with his positive attitude and love for the game.
He finished his MLB career with 660 home runs, over 3,000 hits and a .302 batting average. He was an outstanding fielder, known for his difficult trademark over-the-shoulder basket catches, including a legendary one in the 1954 World Series against Cleveland, the only World Series win of his career.
Notable quote
“If you can do that, if you run, hit, run the bases, hit with power, field, throw and do all other things that are part of the game, then you’re a good ballplayer.” – The Sporting News, 1970
Tributes to Willie Mays
Full obituary: San Francisco Chronicle
