admin Willie Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose unique blend of talent, drive, and exuberance established him as one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, has passed away at 93.
His family and the San Francisco Giants announced on Tuesday night that Mays had died earlier in the afternoon in the Bay Area.
“My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones,” son Michael Mays said in a statement released by the club. “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.”
The centre fielder, who began his professional career in the Negro Leagues in 1948, was baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. He was inducted into the Hall in 1979, his first year of eligibility, and in 1999 was ranked second only to Babe Ruth on The Sporting News’ list of the game’s top stars. The Giants retired his uniform number, 24, and named their AT&T Park in San Francisco after him, as Willie Mays Plaza.
Mays passed away two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to honour the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
“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,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “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 … Willie inspired generations of players and fans as the game grew and truly earned its place as our National Pastime.”
Few players possessed all five essential qualities for a superstar—hitting for average, hitting for power, speed, fielding, and throwing—with the same degree of excellence as Willie Mays. Even fewer showcased these talents with such exuberance, whether launching home runs, sprinting around the bases with his loose-fitting cap flying off, or making spectacular catches in centre field with his trademark basket catch.
Over 23 major league seasons, nearly all with the New York/San Francisco Giants, along with one season in the Negro Leagues, Mays batted .301, hit 660 home runs, accumulated 3,293 hits, scored over 2,000 runs, and won 12 Gold Gloves. He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice named the Most Valuable Player, and finished in the top 10 for MVP 10 other times. His lightning sprint and over-the-shoulder catch of an apparent extra-base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most celebrated defensive play in baseball history.
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