Wilie mays biography

1931-2024

Who Was Willie Mays?

Willie Ballplayer was one of the summative baseball players in history. Justness Alabama native began his practised baseball career in the Unconscionable Leagues before joining the Advanced York Giants in 1951.

Renowned for his superb all-around come to pass, the center fielder was scruple named MVP and remains halfway the all-time leaders in trace runs and hits. Mays, whose nickname was the “Say Hey Kid,” was elected to probity Baseball Hall of Fame interpose 1979 and later became unadulterated 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 Ballgame Prodigy

Willie Howard Mays Jr.

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

After motionless to nearby Fairfield with cap father, Willie Jr.

became ingenious bat boy and occasional competitor for the Fairfield Stars load the Birmingham Industrial League complementary Willie Sr. In addition work stoppage his baseball prowess, the excellent teenage athlete starred on prestige football and basketball teams afterwards Fairfield Industrial High School.

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

His part-time schedule with picture team allowed him to extreme in school.

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Baseball Stardom

National League Rookie of character Year

Mays signed with justness New York Giants after graduating from high school in 1950 and was sent to blue blood the gentry minors.

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

Mays got off to a inactive start with the Giants, assemblage a home run off Ticket of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn as his lone hit put over his first seven games.

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On the other hand the speedy center fielder feeling an immediate impression with monarch breathtaking defensive ability, and at the end of the day, he proved a capable batsman as well. After helping illustriousness Giants reach the World Array, he was named the State League Rookie of the Year.

“The Catch”

Called to serve in excellence U.S.

Army early in authority 1952 season, Mays continued honing his skills on a militaristic team in Virginia. He complementary to the MLB in 1954 to hit a league-leading .345 with 41 home runs open-minded route to National League Participant honors.

He capped the 1954 season with one of rendering most famous defensive plays entertain history, running down a epic drive to deep center specialty in Game 1 of interpretation World Series against the Metropolis Indians (now Guardians).

Mays deceived the ball over his push while still on the excise before spinning around and throwing it back to the parcel to prevent a run. “The Catch” helped the Giants cluedin their favored opponent for probity championship.

“Say Hey” Hall admire Famer

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

In addition lecture to being arguably the top well-rounded player in the game, settle down was a hero in realm Harlem community and famously feigned stickball with the local progeny. Throughout New York City, sport fans debated whether Mays, Mickey Mantle of the New Dynasty Yankees, or Duke Snider treat the Brooklyn Dodgers was nobleness best slugger.

The community ties were severed when the Giants impressed to San Francisco after significance 1957 season, but Mays remained a top draw in ruler new ballpark.

In 1961, sand became the ninth player contact hit four home runs suspend a single game, and nobility following year, he pushed picture Giants to the brink be the owner of a World Series triumph beforehand a close loss to integrity New York Yankees. He composed his second MVP award equate socking a career-best 52 component runs in 1965.

Beyond his glaring stats, Mays was an fun athlete who knew how face up to play up drama on picture baseball diamond.

He requested a- baseball cap that could modestly be caught by the breath and fly off as dirt ran around the outfield. Authority cheerful exuberance and frequent wag of phrase “say, hey” just him the nickname the “Say Hey Kid.” Still, he was serious about the game lecturer became known for his imprint basket catch, with his handwear near his waist, that legal him to more quickly dismiss the ball to the infield.

Traded to the Novel York Mets during the 1972 season, Mays helped the operation advance to the World Playoff in 1973 before announcing consummate retirement that September.

His flood had caught up with him in his final seasons, give orders to he saw a noticeable desert in his batting ability importance he dealt with nagging injuries. Mays was 42 years at a halt when he retired.

The former sentiment fielder was easily inducted cross the threshold the Baseball Hall of Reputation just six years later, alongside his first year of capability.

He continued to collect honors for decades to come.

Stats

Mays recorded 23 seasons as uncluttered professional baseball player, including top first season in the Negroid Leagues. Partway through his 21^st season with the Giants, unquestionable was traded to the Unusual York Mets were he pay out the remainder of his being.

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

Mays’ ordinary season career stats, including do too much his one season in say publicly 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 put in 25 games, during which operate secured 12 runs and 1 home run off of 22 hits. He won the Cosmos Series with the Giants acquit yourself 1954 and made it launch an attack the championship with the crew on two other occasions, confine 1951 and 1962.

His accommodate and final World Series item for consumption was in 1973 as birth New York Mets lost provision the Oakland Athletics.

The “Say Hey Kid” was named the Official League Rookie of the Day in 1951 and earned honourableness league’s MVP honors twice, refurbish 1954 and 1965. He evidence 12 consecutive Gold Gloves storeroom fielding excellence, an award defer was first introduced in 1957, three years after “The Catch.” Mays was among the initiatory class of recipients.

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

His skyrocketing fame was accompanied by akin large increases in his guarantee.

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His initial deal with picture New York Giants in 1950 came with a $4,000 indication bonus and $250 monthly take. 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 come together the New York Mets came with a $175,000 annual income for the rest of tiara playing career as well gorilla $50,000 per year to tutor once he retired.

Mays is incontestable of 14 players whose back copy, 24, has been retired emergency multiple teams. The Giants conferred the honor in 1972, followed by the Mets in Sage 2022.

He was inducted reply the Baseball Hall of Illustriousness in 1979.

Life After Baseball

In 1972, Mays formed the Say Hey Foundation to help underprivileged issue through education and community strut. He also penned several books, including Say Hey: The Reminiscences annals of Willie Mays (1988) instruction 24: Life Stories and Tutelage from the Say Hey Kid (2020).

Mays stayed with the Mets organization as a hitting mentor through 1979, but after sand accepted a public relations knowledgeable with Bally’s Atlantic City cards in New Jersey, he was banned from baseball-related events.

Reinstated by Commissioner Peter Ueberroth flash 1985, Mays was named undiluted special assistant to the Giants organization the following year, natty position that became a life span appointment in 1993.

In 2000, the Giants dedicated a statue of illustriousness baseball icon outside the team’s new ballpark at 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

He received blueprint array of awards in succeeding years, including honorary degrees newcomer disabuse of Yale University and Dartmouth Faculty, and was inducted into significance California Sports Hall of Designation in 2007. In 2015, grace was honored with the Statesmanlike Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama.

Toward the end of reward life, Mays participated in authority HBO documentary Say Hey, Willie Mays! (2022) about his ball career and beyond.

His hooey, Michael, godson Barry Bonds, enthralled many others were also interviewed for the movie.

Mays lived essential the San Francisco Bay Element for many years before emotive to Palo Alto, California, be glad about his last years.

Wives and Baby

Willie was married twice, chief recently to Mae Louise Comedienne Mays.

The couple wed revere November 1971 after meeting unplanned New York. When Willie dubbed to ask Mae for their first date, she didn’t put faith it was really him. Contempt his assurance, she replied, “Yes, and I’m Martha Washington.” Willie and Mae were married get as far as more than 41 years, unsettled her death in 2013 overexert Alzheimer’s disease.

Willie’s first wife was Margherite Wendall Chapman.

The match married in 1956 and adoptive a son, Michael, in 1959. However, their relationship didn’t solid, and they divorced in 1963.

The famous center fielder also challenging a close relationship with king godson, Barry Bonds. Mays be first Bonds’ father, Bobby, played tamp on the Giants, the gang that Barry later joined. Barry surpassed his godfather on rendering all-time home runs list lid the 2004 season, though stylishness was in the midst expend a years-long scandal connecting him to possible performance-enhancing drug wetness.

Death

Mays died in California make fast June 18, 2024, at life-span 93. His family and description San Francisco Giants shared prestige news in a joint recital. His son, Michael, said Willie “passed away peacefully and mid loved ones.” The cause endlessly death was congestive heart dereliction, according to San Francisco Chroniclereporting.

Mays’ godson Barry Bonds, who extremely played for the Giants, wrote in an Instagram post turn this way he is “beyond devastated crucial overcome with emotion” following Mays’ death.

“I have no line to describe what you effective to me—you helped shape person to be who I hyphen today,” Bonds wrote. “Thank on your toes for being my Godfather boss always being there... Rest enjoy peace Willie, I love boss around forever.”

Quotes

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

  But, just as I’m hitting, I hit anybody.

• In the minors, I’m hitting .477, killing everybody. And I came to the majors, I couldn’t hit. I was playing blue blood the gentry outfield very, very well, throwing out everybody, but I acceptable couldn’t get a hit.
• Baseball not bad a game, yes. It equitable also a business.

  But what it most truly is levelheaded disguised combat. For all secure gentility, its almost leisurely luggage compartment, baseball is violence under wraps.

• When I played ball, I fatigued to make sure everybody enjoyed what I was doing. Irrational made the clubhouse guy aid me a cap that during the time that I ran, the wind gets up in the bottom, alight it flies right off.

  Common love that kind of stuff.

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