Willie Mays' House in Atherton, CA (Google Maps) Atherton, California (CA), US. [119] According to Mays, he had been unsure if he would even play because of food poisoning. When Mays responded, "But Mr. Leo, it's going to be different with you gone. [34][35] Mays spent the rest of 1950 with the Class B Trenton Giants of the Interstate League, batting .353. [48], Mays tied Mel Ott's NL record of 511 home runs on April24, 1966, against the Astros. [55], Soon after the 1951 season ended, Mays learned the United States Army had drafted him to serve in the Korean War. [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. "I couldn't believe Mays could throw that far. [180][181] He had 15 home runs and a .290 average at the All-Star break but faded down the stretch, only hitting three home runs and batting .241 for the rest of the year. He caught it in midair and had to kick his legs forward to keep his head from hitting the ballpark's fence, but he held on to the ball. "My style was always to go all out, whether I played four innings or nine. Following the Korean War, the Congressional Armed Services Defenses Subcommittee investigated the military records of ten athletes who had been drafted into the service, and a Congressional report dated July 22 determined that the athletes were "pampered" or "coddled" while in uniform. Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born on May 6, 1931, in the African American mill town of Westfield, Alabama. Sportswriters have argued about whether the technique made him a better fielder or just made him more exciting to watch, but the basket catch did not prevent Mays from setting a record with 7,095 outfield putouts. I am not a politician or a writer or a historian. [254] David Schoenfield of ESPN, James, and Barra each think he should have won the NL MVP Award at least seven times. [109], After spending their first two years in San Francisco at Seals Stadium, the Giants moved into the new Candlestick Park in 1960. From his remarkable combination of speed and power at the plate to his iconic defense in center field, Willie Mays is undoubtedly one of the best all-around players in Major League history. After that, he went for nine days without a home run. They had 12 children: Charles Mays, Thelma Davidson (born Mays) and 10 other children. [160], Mays had 13 home runs and 44 RBI through his first 75 games of 1967 but then went into a slump. 9. Heart disease was recognized as the "principal cause of death" in a . "[142] Against the Phillies on September4, Mays made what Hirsch called "one of the most acrobatic catches of his career". [135], Before the 1963 season, Mays signed a contract worth a record-setting $105,000 per season (equivalent to $929,364 in 2021). [58][59] It was at Fort Eustis that Mays learned the basket catch from fellow Fort Eustis outfielder Al Fortunato. In front of the main entrance is a nine-foot-tall statue of Mays, who has a private box at the stadium. Willie Mays was born in the middle of Silent Generation. Mays finished the 1963 season batting .314 with 38 home runs and 103 RBI, stealing only eight bases, his fewest since 1954. [90][91] He stole home in a 43 loss to the Cubs on May21. [226] The tradition soon died out, as the expansion of the major leagues, the increased televising of major league games, and the emergence of professional football had siphoned interest away from the offseason exhibition games. However, the Mets won the NL East. [151][152] Mays won his second MVP award in 1965 behind a career-high 52 home runs, in what Barra said "may very well have [been] his best year". It was officially retired in 2022. [300] Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts mentioned Mays numerous times. [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. He found massive success in playing with the New York Giants and San Francisco Giants. "[58], Throughout his career, Mays maintained he did not specifically try to set records, but he ranks among baseball's leaders in many categories. [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. 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. [186], Mays got off to a tortuous start to the 1972 season, batting .184 through his first 19 games. [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. [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. The NL won 53, and Mays was named the All-Star Game MVP. Willie married Ida B. Mays (born McVey) on month day 1922, at age 18 at marriage place. Willie Mays Siblings. [111], Defensively, Mays was one of the best outfielders of all time, as evidenced by his record 12 Gold Gloves as an outfielder. 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. "[58][244] Teammate Felipe Alou said, "[Mays] is number one, without a doubt. His MLB career began in 1950 when he signed with the then-New York Giants straight after graduating from high school. Same pitch," Mays replied. (Courtesy of Memphis Public Library) A childhood prodigy in baseball-rich Birmingham whose talents were well known locally for years, Mays officially broke into the Negro American League on July 4, 1948, signing a basic contract for $250 a month to play for the Black Barons. [289] Though Mays never went to college, he has been awarded honorary degrees by Yale University, Dartmouth College, and San Francisco State University.[290][291][292]. Like his hero, Mays would stand with his legs spread apart, placing the same amount of weight on both while holding the bat high. [317], Mays with the San Francisco Giants in 1961, New York / San Francisco Giants (19511952, 19541972), World Series champion and NL MVP (19541955), It is not known for certain how Mays became known as the "Say Hey Kid"; sportswriters Barney Kremenko and. I would go to the doctor and would say to the doctor, 'Hey, I need something to keep me going. Everyone knows about the stickball games he played in the Harlem streets. Willie Mays is turning 90, and no mistaking that number. 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. "[85], In 1956, Mays struggled at first to get along with new manager Bill Rigney, who publicly criticized him. He credited these adjustments with improving his batting average,[64] as he batted .450 with 25 RBI in his next 20 games. [138] In August, he won his third NL Player of the Month Award after batting .387 with eight home runs and 27 RBI. [294] Through a friendship with Tony Owen and Donna Reed, he was able to appear in three episodes of The Donna Reed Show. He hit .262 for the season and stood out because of his excellent fielding and base running. Willie Mays's birth flower is Lily of the valley. Matty Alou led off the inning with a bunt single but was still at first two outs later when Mays came up with the Giants one out from elimination. Mays believed this late motion added power when he swung. 1959. 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 . Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-time lists, including those of The Sporting News and ESPN. All questions regarding. "The main thing I wanted to do was help Gaylord Perry win a game. [129] On September30, Mays hit a game-winning home run in the Giants' final regularly scheduled game of the year, forcing the team into a tie for first place with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mays, who had been playing closer to home plate than normal, ran at top speed after the ball. [286] Six years later, Obama honored Mays with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. [174][175] "I don't feel excitement about this now," he told reporters afterwards. "Same feeling. [81] In the middle of May, Durocher asked him to try for more home runs. Before the season began, he had asked Stoneham for a 10-year contract with the Giants organization, intending to serve in an off-the-field capacity with them once his playing career was over. [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. [86] The center fielder grew particularly annoyed after Rigney fined him $100 for not running to first base on a pop fly that was caught by the catcher. If not much, we have compiled all you need to know about Willie Mays's net worth in 2023, his . [279] When the Giants dedicated a Wall of Fame to their greatest players in 2008, Mays became part of its inaugural class. Mays would only play home games for the Black Barons. 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, with his 179 steals during the decade topping the major leagues; he was the first NL player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season, and the first player in history to reach both 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. [110] He found the stadium tricky to field but figured out how to play it as the season progressed. [213] He "strove for All-Star glory" according to Hirsch, taking the game seriously in his desire to support his NL teammates. "To me, Willie Mays is the greatest who ever played," Roberto Clemente said. [192][193], Mays had remained popular in New York, and owner Joan Payson had long wanted to bring him back to his major league roots. [100][101] He played in all but two games, hitting only 29 home runs. "My problem was if I could stay on the field. "You should have had it long before this. [235], On January23, 1979, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. 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. "[58] Al Rosen remembered "you had the feeling you were playing against someone who was going to be the greatest of all time. "[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. During Gerald Ford's administration in 1976, he was invited to the White House state dinner honoring Queen Elizabeth II, whom Mays met. 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