Willie Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose unique combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, passed away. He was 93.
Mays’ family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced Tuesday night that he had died earlier this afternoon.
“My father passed away peacefully and surrounded by loved ones,” son Michael Mays said in a statement released by the club.
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“I want to thank you from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You were his life blood.
The center fielder, nicknamed for his spirited way of greeting his teammates, was the oldest living member of the baseball Hall of Fame. His signature catch of the basket and his hat-flying shots around the bases epitomized the joy of the game. His over-the-shoulder catch on a long drive in the 1954 World Series is the most famous defensive feat in baseball.
Mays died two days before the Giants’ game against the St. Louis Cardinals in honor of the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
“All of Major League Baseball is in mourning today as we gather on the very field where a career and legacy like no other began,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said.
“Willie Mays carried 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 his place as our national pastime.
“His incredible accomplishments and statistics do not begin to describe the awe that came with watching Willie Mays dominate the game in every way possible. We will never forget this true giant on and off the field.”
Over 22 MLB seasons, almost all with the New York/San Francisco Giants, Mays hit .302, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,283 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves.
He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, was named MVP twice and finished in the top 10 for MVP 10 other times. His lightning-fast, over-the-shoulder catch on an apparent extra base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most famous defensive play in baseball history.
He was elected to the Hall in 1979, his first year of eligibility.
For millions in the 1950s and 1960s and beyond, the smiling ballplayer with the friendly, booming voice was a signature athlete and showman in an era when baseball was still a signature pastime. Awarded the Medal of Freedom by US President Barack Obama in 2015, Mays left his fans with countless memories. But a single achievement served to capture his magic—so invincible that it was simply called “The Catch.”
In Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, the then-New York Giants hosted the Cleveland Indians, who had won 111 games in the regular season and were heavy favorites in the postseason. The score was tied 2-2 in the top of the eighth inning.
On a 1-2 count, Vic Wertz smashed a fastball deep to center field. Mays dashed to the wall and, with his back to home plate, reached out with his glove and pulled the disc. What followed was also extraordinary: Mays was able to turn while still moving forward, lift the ball to the infield and prevent Larry Doby from scoring even as Mays spun to the ground. Mays himself would proudly point out that the “throw” is as important as the “catch.”
