Just. The. Greatest.
24-time All-Star. Let that sink in.
24-time All-Star. Let that sink in.
Willie Mays has passed
- Thread starter Univee2
- Start date
I am just a little too young to remember him in his prime, but certainly cherished his place in baseball history.
If you ever tried to replicate his basket catch you gained an even greater respect for his incredible skills.
I am just a little too young to remember him in his prime, but certainly cherished his place in baseball history.
Willie Mays describing when, as a 17-year-old, faced Satchel Paige for the first time:
"It was 1948. Satchel had a very, very good fastball... but he threw me a little breaking ball, just to see what I could do, and I hit it off the top of the fence. I got a double.
When I got to second, Satchel told the third baseman, 'Let me know when that little boy comes back up.'
Three innings later, I go to kneel down in the on-deck circle, and I hear the third baseman say, 'There he is.'
Satch looked at the third baseman, and then he looked at me.
I walk halfway to home plate and he says, 'Little boy.' I say, 'Yes, sir?' because Satch was much older than I am, so I was trying to show respect.
He walked halfway to home plate and said, 'Little boy, I'm not going to trick you. I'm going to throw you three fastballs and you're going to go sit down' and I'm saying in my mind, 'I DOOON'T THINK SOOO.' If he threw me three of the same pitch, I'm going to hit it somewhere.
He threw me two fastballs and I just swung...I swung right through it.. and the third ball he threw, and I tell people this all the time, he threw the ball and as he let go he said, 'Go sit down.'
This is while the ball was in the air.
Yes, he struck me out with three pitches.
He was just magnificent."
~Willie Mays Comes Home
GQ Magazine interview 2010
Best all-around player ever. Period.
I didn't realize Hank had 25 and Stan had 24 ASGs. If Teddy Ballgame hadn't taken a break to serve, he would have probably bested everyone.
In 1965 at the age of 9 we moved from Kodiak Alaska to San Francisco. While up in the cold and dark Northwest I read every baseball legends book available. So I had great appreciation for Willie Mays before I ever saw him play. And even as a little kid I understood that he was legendary due to the excitement he created by just being in the lineup.
Every kid in the Bay Area idolized Willie Mays. No exaggeration - he was idolized by everyone. If you weren’t there during those years it’s very difficult to really comprehend his greatness. And like Ted Williams and others he lost two years to military service.
Rest in peace Willie.
Every kid in the Bay Area idolized Willie Mays. No exaggeration - he was idolized by everyone. If you weren’t there during those years it’s very difficult to really comprehend his greatness. And like Ted Williams and others he lost two years to military service.
Rest in peace Willie.
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There’s this goofy show on Netflix called king of collectibles. The one episode is largely about the most expensive baseball cards in existence. Pretty interesting. Mays was included. The GM of the diamondbacks had a collection with if I remember one card was valuable at 30 mil
Number of players in MLB history with at least a .300 career batting average and
100 HR / 100 SB: 48
150 HR / 150 SB: 15
200 HR / 200 SB: 8
250 HR / 250 SB: 2
300 HR / 300 SB: Only Mays
400 HR / 300 SB: Only Mays
500 HR / 300 SB: Only Mays
600 HR / 300 SB: Only Mays
100 HR / 100 SB: 48
150 HR / 150 SB: 15
200 HR / 200 SB: 8
250 HR / 250 SB: 2
300 HR / 300 SB: Only Mays
400 HR / 300 SB: Only Mays
500 HR / 300 SB: Only Mays
600 HR / 300 SB: Only Mays
Good memories from a great sportswriter.
Sad ending to one of the greats.
Woody Paige: The 'Say Hey Kid' inspired many ... even a kid who'd become a sportswriter
https://denvergazette.com/sports/wo...cle_d4f781dc-30ea-11ef-8c06-d3adee86ccd3.html
(Via The Denver Gazette)
Sad ending to one of the greats.
Woody Paige: The 'Say Hey Kid' inspired many ... even a kid who'd become a sportswriter
https://denvergazette.com/sports/wo...cle_d4f781dc-30ea-11ef-8c06-d3adee86ccd3.html
(Via The Denver Gazette)
