Willie Mays, often called the “Say Hey Child” and a legendary determine in Main League Baseball, died on the age of 93 after a quick sickness, in response to an announcement from the San Francisco Giants.
Mays, celebrated for his extraordinary profession as a house run slugger and middle fielder, was a key participant for the Giants within the Nineteen Fifties and Nineteen Sixties. His profession lasted 23 years, beginning together with his main league debut in 1948, only a yr after Jackie Robinson built-in the league.
Mays was to be honored throughout a Main League Baseball recreation between the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals at Rickwood Area in Birmingham, his hometown and the location of his early Negro League profession.
Though he initially deliberate to attend, Mays introduced that he wouldn’t be capable to attend the occasion and would as an alternative watch the sport from residence.
Willie Mays was elected to the Baseball Corridor of Fame on the primary poll in 1979, receiving 95% of the vote. His illustrious profession included hitting 660 residence runs, the third highest complete on the time of his retirement.
He additionally collected 3,283 hits, received two Nationwide League MVP awards, and tied the report for many All-Star Recreation appearances with 24. In the course of the All-Star Video games, he set a number of data, together with most at-bats (75), most hits (23), most runs (20) and most stolen bases (6).
“His unbelievable achievements and statistics don’t start to explain the awe that got here with watching Willie Mays dominate the sport in each method possible,” Main League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred stated in a press release Tuesday night time.
“We’ll always remember this true Big, each on and off the sector. On behalf of Main League Baseball, I lengthen my deepest condolences to Willie’s household, his mates in our recreation, Giants followers in every single place and his numerous admirers all over the world.
“Thursday’s recreation at historic Rickwood Area was meant as a celebration of Willie Mays and his colleagues. With disappointment in our hearts, it should now additionally function a nationwide memorial to an American who will endlessly stay on the shortlist of probably the most impactful people our nice recreation has ever identified.”
Willie Mays is maybe greatest identified for one of many biggest performs in baseball historical past: his working basket catch throughout the 1954 World Sequence whereas taking part in for the New York Giants towards the Cleveland Indians.
This iconic second is understood merely as ‘The Catch’. Mays himself referred to as it “The Throw,” emphasizing the significance of his throw instantly after the catch to stop the runners from advancing.
In Recreation 1 of the 1954 World Sequence, the New York Giants had been tied 2-2 with the Cleveland Indians on the Polo Grounds in New York Metropolis. Vic Wertz hit a deep ball from about 450 ft to middle discipline, seemingly out of attain.
Nevertheless, Willie Mays, working at full velocity, made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch and threw the ball again to the infield in a single seamless movement, stopping the runners from advancing. This play grew to become famously often called ‘The Catch’.
The Indians failed to attain on Willie Mays’ exceptional catch, and the Giants went on to win the sport within the tenth inning with a pinch-hit residence run by Dusty Rhodes.
The Giants finally received the Sequence, securing their first championship in 21 years.
“It was a large receiver catch,” Mays stated. ‘I knew I used to be going to get it. It was excessive sufficient to catch him. That wasn’t the issue. The toughest half was getting it again to the infield.
“I knew Larry (Doby) may rating (from second) if I did not get the ball again shortly. I scored many occasions from second base on a deep fly that was caught. That was the one factor I used to be fearful about.”
The basket catch was Willie Mays’ trademark, characterised by catching fly balls round his waist as an alternative of above his head. Mays developed this signature type whereas taking part in baseball within the Military after being drafted within the early Nineteen Fifties.
“I wished to do one thing completely different than different guys who performed the outfield,” Mays stated. “After I bought out of the military, (supervisor) Leo (Durocher) stated I may do it. “Simply do not drop it.” I missed two. One in Pittsburgh, one in New York. Ten years aside. I used to be fairly polished.”
“They invented the All-Star Recreation for Willie Mays,” Corridor of Famer Ted Williams as soon as stated.
