Willie Mays, 1956, 1957 . 1 . [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. Mays married Mae Louise Allen in 1971 and remained married until she succumbed to Alzheimer's disease in 2013. [299] The plot of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "In the Cards" (aired 1997, story set in 2373) centers around the son of Captain Sisko (a noted baseball aficionado) attempting to obtain as a gift for his father a vintage 1951 Willie Mays rookie card. [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. [103][104][105] Against the Reds in August, Mays broke a finger but kept it a secret to prevent opposing pitchers from targeting it. [167] Mays privately chafed at the move, later comparing it to "O. J. Simpson blocking for the fullback". [50] During the pennant race, Mays's fielding and strong throwing arm were instrumental in several important Giants' victories. And the song ends this way: " (Say hey, say hey, say hey) ." Even Snider wasn't about to argue. [169][170] On September22, he hit his 600th home run, saying later, "Winning the game was more important to me than any individual achievements. I chose baseball, and I loved every minute of it. Willie Howard Mays Willie Mays (born 1931) Jump to: Biography Memories . In. 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. He hit .262 for the season and stood out because of his excellent fielding and base running. When Joe McDonald became the Mets' General Manager in 1975, he threatened to fire Mays for this. By Joe Posnanski. "You deserve it," Dark told Mays. Mays has made many appearances on film and television. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in . [44][45] Mays responded with four hits over his next two games on June2 and3. His father, William Howard, was a steelworker who mined in the all-black town of Fairfield, only thirteen miles from Birmingham. [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. [229] Naturally more of a pull hitter, Mays adjusted his style in 1954 to hit more to right and center field in a quest for a higher batting average at his manager's request, but the change was not permanent. [285] On July14, 2009, he accompanied Barack Obama to St. Louis aboard Air Force One for that year's All-Star Game. After that, he went for nine days without a home run. Ungraded </p> [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. Millions of kids wanted to be like Willie Mays. 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. 24 during Old Timers' Day", "Yogi Berra, Willie Mays are recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom", "Obama honoring Spielberg, Streisand and more with medal of freedom,", "World Series MVP Award renamed for Mays", "Yale Honorary Degree Recipients Biographies", "Willie Mays still casting a Giant shadow", "Morris Dees, Willie Mays to receive honorary degrees at SF State Commencement", "Willie Mays and A Charlie Brown Christmas", "Fogerty's ballpark standard earns honor", "Reflecting on the legacy of Willie Mays", "Willie Mays Carries the Torch for His Generation", Willie Mays Biography and Interview on American Academy of Achievement, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Willie_Mays&oldid=1132399042. [223] From 1955 through 1958, Mays led Willie Mays's All-Stars, a team composed of such stars as Irvin, Thompson, Aaron, Frank Robinson, Junior Gilliam, Brooks Lawrence, Sam Jones, and Joe Black. [48], Horace Stoneham, the Giants' owner, made Mays the highest-paid player in baseball with a $75,000 contract for 1959. This is because of a discrepancy in the RBI total for, Talkin' Baseball (Willie, Mickey & The Duke), List of Negro league baseball players who played in Major League Baseball, List of Major League Baseball home run records, List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders, List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a center fielder leaders, List of Major League Baseball career putouts as an outfielder leaders, List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders, "Mays at 75: The Say-Hey Kid has lots of fond memories, few regrets", "Reams of Sports: Mays Challenges for Rookie Honors, "New film remembers long-gone West Jefferson community of Westfield, home of Mays, Clemon", "Baseball Great and the Fort Eustis Connection", "Chicago Cubs at New York Giants Box Score, June 25, 1954", "Players with at least 30 HR by All-Star Game", "Philadelphia Phillies at New York Giants Box Score, April 21, 1957", "New York Giants at Chicago Cubs Box Score, May 21, 1957", "St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants Box Score, September 28, 1958", "San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds Box Score, June 24, 1960", "San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score, September 15, 1960", "San Francisco Giants Team History & Encyclopedia", "San Francisco Giants 14, Milwaukee Braves 4", "Willie Mays Finally Has Love of San Francisco Giants Fans", "Willie Mays Says Watch Pirates Next Season", "1962 San Francisco Giants Batting Statistics", "Houston Colt .45s at San Francisco Giants Box Score, September 30, 1962", "Willie Mays Postseason Batting Gamelogs", "July 2, 1963 Milwaukee Braves at San Francisco Giants Box Score and Play by Play", "Letting Off Steam confrontations between players, fans and umpires", "Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants Box Score, August 22, 1965", "San Francisco Giants at Houston Astros Box Score, September 14, 1965", "A complete list of every 50-homer season", "San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score, September 7, 1966", "They Wuz Robbed: Tales of Head-Scratching MVP Voting", "San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds Box Score, June 7, 1967", "Houston Astros at San Francisco Giants Box Score, July 14, 1967", "Mays Honored as Top Player of 1960s by Sporting News", "Montreal Expos at San Francisco Giants Box Score, July 18, 1970", "New York Mets at San Francisco Giants Box Score, May 31, 1971", "Turn back the clock: Willie Mays played a vital role on '73 mets", "Cincinnati Reds at New York Mets Box Score, August 17, 1973", "1973 World Series Game 2, Mets at Athletics, October 14", "1973 World Series Game 3, Athletics at Mets, October 16", "All-Star Game Records: Career All-Star Game Hitting Records", "Ten Reasons Willie Mays is the Greatest Ever", "100 Greatest Baseball Players by The Sporting News: A Legendary List by Baseball Almanac", Don Zimmer, Who Spent 60 Eventful Years in Baseball, Dies at 83, "Career Leaders & Records for Runs Batted In", "Career Leaders & Records for Def. So Willie Mays is an athlete that pretty much all of us have heard of, unless you're like that Geico person you've been living under a rock for a while, but Willie Mays is one of the greatest baseball players of all time. [286] Six years later, Obama honored Mays with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Willie Mays's birthstone is Emerald. [176] He scheduled his off days that season to avoid facing strikeout pitchers such as Bob Gibson or Tom Seaver. how well do you know about Willie Mays? [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. More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Mays played in a sport measured by milestones 3,000 hits, 500 homers, signposts he. [100][139] He hit his 400th home run on August 27 against the St. Louis Cardinals, the tenth player to reach that mark. However, the Mets won the NL East. "[40], The Giants hoped Mays would help them defensively in center field, as well as offensively. Willie Howard Mays (May 6, 1931-) is arguably the greatest centerfielder that major League Baseball has ever seen. [133][211] The Mets lost the series in seven games. Born on May 6, 1931, Willie Mays is an American baseball player from Westfield, Alabama. [54] Mays hit poorly while the Giants lost the series 42. [179][182] One reason he hit so few home runs was that Mays walked 112 times, 30 more times than he had at any point in his career. Willie Mays Wife. Snoop Dogg is first cousins with a professional wrestler, Sasha Banks. [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. [132], In Game1 of the World Series, a 62 loss to New York, Mays recorded three hits. For all its gentility, its almost leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps. The only child of Willie Sr., a semi-pro ballplayer nicknamed "Cat," and Annie. 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. 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. [173] Mays picked up his 3,000th hit against the Montreal Expos on July 18. 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. [282][283], Mays has met with United States Presidents. Emerald was one of Cleopatra's favorite gems. Mays missed about 266 games because of his military service. [66][67] Mays was selected for the NL All-Star team; he would be part of 24 straight NL All-Star teams over 20 seasons. 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. Here's a look at the life of Baseball Hall of Fame center fielder Willie Mays. What kind of numbers would Mays have put up there? [21] Cat Mays worked as a railway porter and later at the steel mills in Westfield. "I thought I'd be crying by now," he told reporters and Mets' executives at a press conference that day, "but I see so many people here who are my friends, I can'tBaseball and me, we had what you might call a love affair. "Was it the same feeling?" [239], Fellow players and coaches recognized his talent. Say Hey! [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. [38], Mays's flashy style of play stemmed partly from his days in the Negro leagues. [39] Initially, Mays was reluctant to accept the promotion because he did not believe he was ready to face major league pitchers. [195] Mays appeared in 88 games for the Mets in 1972, batting .250 in 244 at bats with eight home runs. [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. Brandy made her big break when she landed the lead role on "Moesha." The singer made headlines for a feud with Monica on the song, "The Boys is Mine." She featured in one of Snoop Dogg's music videos. Following his divorce from Margherite, he married Mae Louise Allen in 1971 and were together until she died in 2013. "[257] Sportscaster Curt Gowdy said of Mays, "Willie Mays was the best player I ever saw. [311] In 1997, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease; Mays cared for her devotedly until she died from it on April19, 2013. [120] Each of his home runs traveled over 400 feet (120m)[121] While Mantle and Roger Maris pursued Babe Ruth's single-season home run record in the AL, Mays and Orlando Cepeda battled for the home run lead in the NL. Games as OF", "Career Leaders & Records for WAR Position Players", "Mays' Locker Was Source of AmphetaminesMilner", "Hall of Fame center fielder Duke Snider dies at 84", "Willie, Mickey and The Duke Mantle Wins This Battle", "Today in Baseball History: When Mantle and Mays were banned from baseball", "For Mazzilli, nothing like meeting Mays", "Mets retire Willie Mays' No. 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. [12][13] Annie Satterwhite, his mother, was a gifted high school basketball and track star. [190][191] On May5, Mays was traded to the New York Mets for pitcher Charlie Williams and an undisclosed amount rumored to be $100,000. Willie Mays played left field and his father, Cat Mays . He won a batting title, four home run titles and four stolen base titles. [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). [207][208] Mays's last hit came later in the same game, an RBI single against Rollie Fingers that snapped a 77 tie in the 12th inning of a 107 victory. [168] He injured his knee in a collision with catcher Randy Hundley on July29, forcing him to miss several games. [69] "All I can say is that he is the greatest player I ever saw, bar none," was Rigney's assessment. [238] Later that year, fans elected him to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. [157][158] Mays finished third in the NL MVP voting, the ninth and final time he finished in the top five in the voting for the award. [284] He was the Tee Ball Commissioner at the 2006 White House Tee Ball Initiative on July30, 2006, during George W. Bush's presidency. He stuck with the SF Giants for 20 years until he was. [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. His right thumb would stick out in the air as he waited for pitches, but he wrapped it around the bat as he swung. The catch prevented two Indians' runners from scoring, preserving a tie game. You have to sacrifice many things to play baseball. "[38] That range allowed him to play a shallow center and prevent shallow singles, while still being able to get back and not let extra-base hits get over his head. Mays replied, "It was exactly the same feeling. 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. Willie married Ida B. Mays (born McVey) on month day 1922, at age 18 at marriage place. Willie McCovey, a left-handed pull hitter, lined the ball seemingly to right field, but it was caught by second baseman Bobby Richardson, playing deep and in the hole. Evading Foli's tag on the return throw to third, Mays scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly. </p><p>Both cards autographed by Carlos may . [312][309] You won't be here to help me," Durocher told his star, "Willie Mays doesn't need help from anyone. He did everything well. Around that time, Durocher asked him to stop trying to hit them, explaining the team wanted him to reach base more often. [147][148], Mays won his fourth and final NL Player of the Month award in August 1965 (.363, 17home runs, 29RBI). [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. He never drank, never smoked, watched his diet and rarely went clubbing. In front of the main entrance is a nine-foot-tall statue of Mays, who has a private box at the stadium. He served as a coach for the Mets for the rest of the decade, and later rejoined the Giants as a special assistant to the president and general manager. [213] He "strove for All-Star glory" according to Hirsch, taking the game seriously in his desire to support his NL teammates. Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born on May6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama, a primarily black company town near Fairfield. Willie Mays was born in the middle of Silent Generation. 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. [48], Though he had continued to play at a high level since coming to San Francisco, Mays endured booing from the San Francisco fans during his first four seasons in California. [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). Vernard Adams, the Hillsborough County, Florida medical examiner, reported that Mays had hypertensive heart disease and that heart disease was most likely the cause of his death following the first autopsy on June 29, 2009. [81] During the last game of the season, Durocher, who had supported Mays since his career had begun, told him he would not be returning as the Giants manager. After the brawl, Mays hit a game-winning three-run home run against Sandy Koufax, but he did not finish the game, feeling dizzy after the home run. While McCovey was on the disabled list, the Giants traded Willie Mays to the Mets, which marked the start of the club's efforts to rid itself of its aging, high-salaried players. But I'm here today because baseball is my number one love. [221] In appreciation of his All-Star records, Ted Williams said, "They invented the All-Star Game for Willie Mays. Baseball is almost like oxygen for Willie Mays. [300] Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts mentioned Mays numerous times. 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. Then I found out there wasn't. [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. 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. [166] He played 148 games and upped his batting average to .289, accumulating 84 runs scored, 144 hits, 23 home runs, and 79RBI. Mays is the godfather of Barry Bonds, whose father, Bobby Bonds, was a friend of his when they were Giants teammates. Mays finished the 1963 season batting .314 with 38 home runs and 103 RBI, stealing only eight bases, his fewest since 1954. 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. [108] In 1959, Mays batted .313 with 34 home runs and 113 RBIs, leading the league in stolen bases for the fourth year in a row. What is the net worth of Willie Mays? Write your answer. [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. The date of birth of Willie Mays is 6-may-31. [34][35] Mays spent the rest of 1950 with the Class B Trenton Giants of the Interstate League, batting .353. 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 Mays is a New York Giants legend, known for his all-around play. Let's talk a little bit about why you should . [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. The day Pvt. When a fly ball was hit, he would count to five before giving pursuit, enabling him to judge the wind's effect. [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. [141] On May21, Dark named Mays the Giants' captain, making Mays the first African-American captain of an MLB team.