Willie Mays was a giant in every sense of the word.
Of course, he was a beloved outfielder with the San Francisco Giants, but what he did on the field made him a giant in the history of baseball.
On Tuesday, the “Say Hey Kid” died. He was 93.
The Giants released a statement by Mays’ son, Michael Mays, announcing his death, per ESPN.
“My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones,” the younger Mays said. “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.”
Giants chairman Greg Johnson wrote about Mays’ talent.
“Today we have lost a true legend,” Johnson said in a statement. “In the pantheon of baseball greats, Willie Mays’ combination of tremendous talent, keen intellect, showmanship, and boundless joy set him apart. A 24-time All-Star, the Say Hey Kid is the ultimate Forever Giant.
“He had a profound influence not only on the game of baseball, but on the fabric of America. He was an inspiration and a hero who will be forever remembered and deeply missed,” Johnson said
Baseball great Barry Bonds, who also played for the Giants, said his godfather “helped shape me to be who I am today.”
When he was 20, Mays became the 10th Black player in major league history.
His first career hit was a home run off a pitch from
Hall of Famer Warren Spahn.
While Mays was a key component in many memorable plays, he was the player in a play now know as “The Catch.”
It came during Game 1 of the 1954 World Series against Cleveland.
The score tied at 2 with two runners on base when Cleveland’s Vic Wertz hit the deep center.
Mays ran toward the wall with his back away from the infield when he made the basket catch while still running.
Mays pivoted and threw the ball into the infielat, which stopped the runners from scoring.
The Giants ended the game victorious with a score of 5-2 in 10 innings.
“It wasn’t no lucky catch,” Mays said many years later.
In May 1972, Mays was traded to the New York Mets
He retired after the 1973 season when the Mets won the National League pennant.
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.
His accomplishments on the field in his 22 years as a player speak for themselves.
Mays led the NL in home runs four times.
At the time of his retirement, he had amassed 660 home runs and ranked third in MLB history — he now ranks sixth.
That’s not all.
He ended his playing days with 3,283 hits (12th all time) and 1,903 RBIs (12th all time).
In 2015, Mays received the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015.
“Willie Mays wasn’t just a singular athlete, blessed with an unmatched combination of grace, skill and power,” Obama posted on X, formerly Twitter. “He was also a wonderfully warm and generous person – and an inspiration to an entire generation.”
Mays was known as the “Say Hey Kid” thanks to Barney Kremenko, a New York Journal-American sportswriter.
Mays would often say, “say who, say what, say where, say hey.” Kremenko referred to Mays as the “Say Hey Kid” in a story and the name stuck, Sporting News reported.
