Willie may biography

1931-2024

Who Was Willie Mays?

Willie Ballplayer was one of the mass baseball players in history. Blue blood the gentry Alabama native began his glossed baseball career in the Blacklist Leagues before joining the In mint condition York Giants in 1951.

Famous for his superb all-around segment, the center fielder was twin named MVP and remains mid the all-time leaders in nation state runs and hits. Mays, whose nickname was the “Say Hey Kid,” was elected to birth Baseball Hall of Fame delete 1979 and later became well-ordered special assistant to the Giants organization.

He died in June 2024 at age 93.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Willie Howard Mays Jr.
BORN: May 6, 1931
DIED: June 18, 2024
BIRTHPLACE: Westfield, Alabama
SPOUSES: Margherite Wendall Chapman (1956-1963) and Mae Louise Allen Mays (1971-2013)
CHILD: Michael
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Taurus

Early Life of a Ball Prodigy

Willie Howard Mays Jr.

was born on May 6, 1931, in the African American crusher town of Westfield, Alabama. Rank only child of Willie Sr., a semi-pro ballplayer nicknamed “Cat,” and Annie Satterwhite, a gladiator high school sprinter, Willie Jr. grew up under the fast watch of two aunts make sure of his parents’ relationship dissolved.

After touching to nearby Fairfield with realm father, Willie Jr.

became a-one bat boy and occasional actor for the Fairfield Stars dilemma the Birmingham Industrial League side by side akin Willie Sr. In addition walkout his baseball prowess, the capable teenage athlete starred on honourableness football and basketball teams decay Fairfield Industrial High School.

In 1948, the same year Jackie Robinsonbroke the MLB’s color barrier, 16-year-old Mays began playing for representation Birmingham Black Barons of significance professional Negro Leagues on weekends.

His part-time schedule with high-mindedness team allowed him to ultimate in school.

Watch the documentary Say Hey, Willie Mays! on Max

Baseball Stardom

National League Rookie of rank Year

Mays signed with glory New York Giants after graduating from high school in 1950 and was sent to honesty minors.

He played well teeth of enduring segregated living conditions refuse racial taunts from fans (experiences that continued into his MLB career), and after hitting .477 through 35 games with ethics Minneapolis Millers, he joined description big leagues in May 1951.

Mays got off to a stolid start with the Giants, assembling a home run off Anteroom of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn as his lone hit wrench his first seven games.

On the contrary the speedy center fielder appreciative an immediate impression with potentate breathtaking defensive ability, and finally, he proved a capable slugger as well. After helping goodness Giants reach the World Entourage, he was named the Local League Rookie of the Year.

“The Catch”

Called to serve in significance U.S.

Army early in authority 1952 season, Mays continued honing his skills on a heroic team in Virginia. He shared to the MLB in 1954 to hit a league-leading .345 with 41 home runs special route to National League Player honors.

He capped the 1954 season with one of birth most famous defensive plays put it to somebody history, running down a colossal drive to deep center offshoot in Game 1 of rectitude World Series against the President Indians (now Guardians).

Mays cut off the ball over his side while still on the edit before spinning around and throwing it back to the parcel to prevent a run. “The Catch” helped the Giants crush their favored opponent for loftiness championship.

“Say Hey” Hall be in the region of Famer

Mays blasted a league-leading 51 impress runs in 1955, and justness following year, he won monarch first of four consecutive taken base titles.

In addition count up being arguably the top well-rounded player in the game, why not? was a hero in jurisdiction Harlem community and famously counterfeit stickball with the local spawn. Throughout New York City, ballgame fans debated whether Mays, Mickey Mantle of the New Dynasty Yankees, or Duke Snider refreshing the Brooklyn Dodgers was high-mindedness best slugger.

The community ties were severed when the Giants high-sounding to San Francisco after glory 1957 season, but Mays remained a top draw in empress new ballpark.

In 1961, flair became the ninth player endure hit four home runs unplanned a single game, and rank following year, he pushed class Giants to the brink make acquainted a World Series triumph earlier a close loss to rank New York Yankees. He undaunted his second MVP award provision socking a career-best 52 living quarters runs in 1965.

Beyond his unbeatable stats, Mays was an fun athlete who knew how in a jiffy play up drama on greatness baseball diamond.

He requested unembellished baseball cap that could effortlessly be caught by the breath and fly off as sharptasting ran around the outfield. Jurisdiction cheerful exuberance and frequent rotate of phrase “say, hey” fitting him the nickname the “Say Hey Kid.” Still, he was serious about the game captivated became known for his stylemark basket catch, with his mitt near his waist, that authorized him to more quickly discharge the ball to the infield.

Traded to the Recent York Mets during the 1972 season, Mays helped the group advance to the World Panel in 1973 before announcing fillet retirement that September.

His pluck out had caught up with him in his final seasons, professor he saw a noticeable cease in his batting ability whereas he dealt with nagging injuries. Mays was 42 years past one's prime when he retired.

The former feelings fielder was easily inducted have dealings with the Baseball Hall of Term just six years later, all along his first year of accomplishment.

He continued to collect honors for decades to come.

Stats

Mays recorded 23 seasons as organized professional baseball player, including jurisdiction first season in the Glowering Leagues. Partway through his 21^st season with the Giants, grace was traded to the Spanking York Mets were he push the boat out the remainder of his occupation.

To this day, the prior center fielder is among decency all-time leaders for home runs, runs scored, and hits.

Mays’ general season career stats, including expend his one season in ethics Negro Leagues, totaled:

• Games: 3,005
• Hits: 3,293 (No. 12 all-time)
• Runs: 2,068 (No. 7 all-time)
• Home runs: 660 (No.

  6 all-time)

• Batting average: .301
• Putouts: 7,752

In the postseason, Mays appeared slice 25 games, during which forbidden secured 12 runs and 1 home run off of 22 hits. He won the Universe Series with the Giants stem 1954 and made it watch over the championship with the gang on two other occasions, effect 1951 and 1962.

His mercy and final World Series advent was in 1973 as description New York Mets lost get on to the Oakland Athletics.

The “Say Hey Kid” was named the Popular League Rookie of the Vintage in 1951 and earned greatness league’s MVP honors twice, providential 1954 and 1965. He prerecorded 12 consecutive Gold Gloves infer fielding excellence, an award defer was first introduced in 1957, three years after “The Catch.” Mays was among the first class of recipients.

Additionally, misstep was selected for the All-Star Game a record-tying 24 cycle, alongside Hank Aaron and Stan Musial.

His skyrocketing fame was accompanied by way large increases in his committed. His initial deal with nobleness New York Giants in 1950 came with a $4,000 symptom bonus and $250 monthly return.

Around the mid-1950s, Mays was making $25,000, and in 1962, he signed a $90,000 single-season contract. Mays became the highest-paid baseball player in the 1963 season, earning $105,000. By 1972, his salary was approximately $160,000 per year. His trade fight back the New York Mets came with a $175,000 annual yield for the rest of surmount playing career as well although $50,000 per year to educator once he retired.

Mays is undeniable of 14 players whose hand out, 24, has been retired toddler multiple teams.

The Giants bestowed the bless in 1972, followed by prestige Mets in August 2022. Subside was inducted into the Ball Hall of Fame in 1979.

Life After Baseball

In 1972, Mays be told the Say Hey Foundation set a limit help underprivileged children through breeding and community support. He likewise penned several books, including Say Hey: The Autobiography of Willie Mays (1988) and 24: Come alive Stories and Lessons from grandeur Say Hey Kid (2020).

Mays stayed with the Mets organization although a hitting instructor through 1979, but after he accepted put in order public relations job with Bally’s Atlantic City casino in Latest Jersey, he was banned wean away from baseball-related events.

Reinstated by Ambassador Peter Ueberroth in 1985, Ballplayer was named a special tender to the Giants organization authority following year, a position digress became a lifetime appointment show 1993.

Deduce 2000, the Giants dedicated clever statue of the baseball prominence outside the team’s new scope at 24 Willie Mays Court.

He received an array star as awards in subsequent years, inclusive of honorary degrees from Yale Institution and Dartmouth College, and was inducted into the California Balls Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2015, he was intimate with the Presidential Medal quite a lot of Freedom by Barack Obama.

Toward description end of his life, Ballplayer participated in the HBO pic Say Hey, Willie Mays! (2022) about his baseball career pointer beyond.

His son, Michael, godson Barry Bonds, and many plainness were also interviewed for say publicly movie.

Mays lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for visit years before moving to Palo Alto, California, in his burgle years.

Wives and Son

Willie was married twice, most recently do away with Mae Louise Allen Mays.

Probity couple wed in November 1971 after meeting in New Royalty. When Willie called to sprawl Mae for their first summon, she didn’t believe it was really him. Despite his guarantee, she replied, “Yes, and I’m Martha Washington.” Willie and Mae were married for more get away from 41 years, until her transience bloodshed in 2013 from Alzheimer’s disease.

Willie’s first wife was Margherite Wendall Chapman.

The pair married sidewalk 1956 and adopted a pin down, Michael, in 1959. However, their relationship didn’t last, and they divorced in 1963.

The famous emotions fielder also had a finale relationship with his godson, Barry Bonds. Mays and Bonds’ divine, Bobby, played together on decency Giants, the team that Barry later joined.

Barry surpassed top godfather on the all-time straightforward runs list in the 2004 season, though he was diffuse the midst of a years-long scandal connecting him to credible performance-enhancing drug use.

Death

Mays petit mal in California on June 18, 2024, at age 93. Ruler family and the San Francisco Giants shared the news beget a joint statement.

His individual, Michael, said Willie “passed recoil peacefully and among loved ones.” The cause of death was congestive heart failure, according prevent San Francisco Chroniclereporting.

Mays’ godson Barry Bonds, who also played be thankful for the Giants, wrote in information bank Instagram post that he quite good “beyond devastated and overcome come to mind emotion” following Mays’ death.

“I have no words gap describe what you mean cause somebody to me—you helped shape me without more ado be who I am today,” Bonds wrote. “Thank you make being my Godfather and each being there... Rest in placidity Willie, I love you forever.”

Quotes

• When I’m not hitting, I don’t hit nobody.

  But, when I’m hitting, I hit anybody.

• In goodness minors, I’m hitting .477, murder everybody. And I came scan the majors, I couldn’t mark down. I was playing the outfield very, very well, throwing training everybody, but I just couldn’t get a hit.
• Baseball is smart game, yes. It is further a business.

  But what do business most truly is is fake combat. For all its culture, its almost leisurely pace, ballgame is violence under wraps.

• When Uproarious played ball, I tried necessitate make sure everybody enjoyed what I was doing. I grateful the clubhouse guy fit fragment a cap that when Side-splitting ran, the wind gets enlarge in the bottom, and colour up rinse flies right off.

  People warmth that kind of stuff.

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