"[202] Five days later, the Mets honored him on Willie Mays Night, proclaimed by New York City mayor John Lindsay, where he thanked the New York fans and said goodbye to baseball. [197][198] Things did not improve as the season began; Mays spent time on the disabled list early in the year and left the park before a game when he found out Berra had not put his name in the starting lineup. "I do not recall hearing another ovation given a man after the pitcher has started to work on him," Mays biographer Arnold Hano wrote. Baseball is almost like oxygen for Willie Mays. [180][181] He had 15 home runs and a .290 average at the All-Star break but faded down the stretch, only hitting three home runs and batting .241 for the rest of the year. "[171] In 117 games, he batted .283 with 13 home runs and 58RBI. "You deserve it," Dark told Mays. [39] Initially, Mays was reluctant to accept the promotion because he did not believe he was ready to face major league pitchers. [213] He "strove for All-Star glory" according to Hirsch, taking the game seriously in his desire to support his NL teammates. [138] In August, he won his third NL Player of the Month Award after batting .387 with eight home runs and 27 RBI. 1951 Bowman #305 Willie Mays Rookie Card. He garnered 409 of the 432 ballots cast (94.68%). [312][309] Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 in his first year of eligibility, and was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999. (Courtesy of Memphis Public Library) A childhood prodigy in baseball-rich Birmingham whose talents were well known locally for years, Mays officially broke into the Negro American League on July 4, 1948, signing a basic contract for $250 a month to play for the Black Barons. During Gerald Ford's administration in 1976, he was invited to the White House state dinner honoring Queen Elizabeth II, whom Mays met. Willie's albums including Shotgun Willie and Stardust topped the charts. [120] Each of his home runs traveled over 400 feet (120m)[121] While Mantle and Roger Maris pursued Babe Ruth's single-season home run record in the AL, Mays and Orlando Cepeda battled for the home run lead in the NL. Mays, who had been playing closer to home plate than normal, ran at top speed after the ball. [115][116] For the second time in three years, he only hit 29 home runs, but he led the NL with 190 hits and drove in 103 runs, batting .319 and stealing 25 bases. In 1955 he made a run at the Triple Crown, leading the league with 51 home runs and finishing second in batting and RBI. Mays was also at the forefront of a resurgence of speed as an offensive weapon in the 1950s, leading the league in stolen bases four times, triples three times and runs twice, with his 179 steals during the decade topping the major leagues; he was the first NL player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season, and the first player in history to reach both 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. [3] Mays played several sports at Fairfield Industrial High School. [268] Naturally, his approach had its critics. [100][139] He hit his 400th home run on August 27 against the St. Louis Cardinals, the tenth player to reach that mark. [58][59] It was at Fort Eustis that Mays learned the basket catch from fellow Fort Eustis outfielder Al Fortunato. [261], Along with Mantle (of the Yankees) and Snider (of the Dodgers), Mays was part of a triumvirate of center fielders from the New York teams of the 1950s who would be elected to the Hall of Fame. At 90 years old, Mays is still alive and appears to be doing quite well. [136] On July2, when Spahn and Juan Marichal each threw 15 scoreless innings, Mays hit a 16th-inning home run off Spahn, giving the Giants a 10 victory. [76] Sometimes he would deliberately slip to the ground for catches to make them look tougher than they really were. [69] "All I can say is that he is the greatest player I ever saw, bar none," was Rigney's assessment. His father, William Howard, was a steelworker who mined in the all-black town of Fairfield, only thirteen miles from Birmingham. Rigney stopped giving Mays as much direction, trusting his star player's ability and instinct. Willie McCovey, a left-handed pull hitter, lined the ball seemingly to right field, but it was caught by second baseman Bobby Richardson, playing deep and in the hole. Willie's response: "Tell Leo I'm not coming." 22 Heath called, and Durocher laid into Mays on the phone. A 24-time All-Star, tying him for the second most in history, Mays became a perennial MVP candidate, finishing in the top six in the voting in eleven of the next twelve seasons. The Age of Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is 91 years old. Born on May 6, 1931, Willie Mays is an American baseball player from Westfield, Alabama. He ended his career with a return to New York after a mid-season trade to the New York Mets in 1972, retiring after the team's trip to the 1973 World Series. [26] Though he turned 18 in 1949, Mays did not graduate from Fairfield until 1950, which journalist Allen Barra calls "a minor mystery in Willie's life". "[233] He wore his cap one size larger than necessary so that it would fly off when he was running the bases or making fielding plays. Willie Mays's birthstone is Emerald. After the home run, Spahn asked him, "Was it anything like the same feeling?" Around that time, Durocher asked him to stop trying to hit them, explaining the team wanted him to reach base more often. [89] In his 2010 authorized biography of Mays, James S. Hirsch wrote Mays had "one of his most exhilarating excursions" on April21. [36][37] Promoted to the Class AAA Minneapolis Millers of the American Association in 1951, he batted .477 in 35 games. [15], Cat exposed Willie to baseball at an early age, playing catch with him at five and allowing him to sit on the bench with his Birmingham Industrial League team at ten. [200] He made the announcement to the public on September20. [275] At a press conference with Mays and Mantle (reinstated from a similar suspension), Ueberroth said, "I am bringing back two players who are more a part of baseball than perhaps anyone else. Mays' skills on the field made him popular off the field, too, especially with kids. [263], Mays was a popular figure in Harlem, New York's predominantly African-American neighborhood and the home of the Polo Grounds. Durocher, speechless for perhaps the first time in his life, finally broke his silence and asked Mays what he was hitting. [48][93] He finished in the NL's top-five in a variety of offensive categories: runs scored (112, third) batting average (.333, second), and home runs (35, fourth). The Giants lost 21. [200][201] Having considered retirement all year, Mays finally told the Mets officially on September9 that 1973 would be his last season. Teams of star players would travel from city to city playing exhibition games for local fans. [232] Koppett observes, "His range was limitless, and his arm so strong that he could make effective throws from the most unlikely locations and from the most unlikely body positions. [226] The tradition soon died out, as the expansion of the major leagues, the increased televising of major league games, and the emergence of professional football had siphoned interest away from the offseason exhibition games. [9][10][11] His father, Cat Mays, was a talented baseball player with the black team at the local iron plant. [71][72] Mays hit only five home runs after July 28 but upped his batting average from .326 to .345 to win the team's first batting title since Bill Terry's in 1930. [48] By the end of his career, Mays had won a Gold Glove Award 12 times, a record for outfielders today (shared by Roberto Clemente). He really is a hero to lots of Americans and is incredibly well . He dropped the cross three times, didn't he? [146] Johnson kicked him in the head and nearly knocked him out. [259] "I really didn't need anything," Mays said. Though Baseball-Reference list Mays as 12th in career RBI, MLB.com ranks him 11th. Mays missed about 266 games because of his military service. [81][84] Leading the league with a .659 slugging percentage, Mays batted .319 as the Giants finished in third. [169][170] On September22, he hit his 600th home run, saying later, "Winning the game was more important to me than any individual achievements. "[260] Hirsch wrote "It would be nave to think Mays never took amphetamines" but admits that Mays's amphetamine use has never been proven, calling Mays "the most famous player who supposedly took amphetamines". Most of his earnings come from him being a famous baseball player who has contributed his life for his team named the New York Giants. Batting against Ralph Terry, he hit a ball into the right-field corner that might have been deep enough to score Alou, but Giants third base coach Whitey Lockman opted to hold Alou at third. [92] 1957 was the first season the Gold Glove Awards were presented. "I'm a ballplayer. In return, he could still play high school football. He was later on inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979. So Willie Mays is an athlete that pretty much all of us have heard of, unless you're like that Geico person you've been living under a rock for a while, but Willie Mays is one of the greatest baseball players of all time. [66][67] Mays was selected for the NL All-Star team; he would be part of 24 straight NL All-Star teams over 20 seasons. "[228] His focus extended to his antics, or lack thereof, at the plate; Mays did not rub dirt on his hands or stroll around the batter's box like some hitters did. By Joe Posnanski. [233] Though he was a powerful hitter, he had a knack for stealing bases. When Joe McDonald became the Mets' General Manager in 1975, he threatened to fire Mays for this. Willie Mays's birth flower is Lily of the valley. [310] Wilt Chamberlain had given Mays her number in 1961, and they dated off and on the next several years. He married Margherite Wendell Chapman from 1956 to 1963. In the 1970's, Mays was good friends with Gambino Crime Family caporegime Greg DePalma, often playing golf with him. [289] Though Mays never went to college, he has been awarded honorary degrees by Yale University, Dartmouth College, and San Francisco State University.[290][291][292]. This country is made up of a great many things. [262] The three were often the subject of debates amongst the New York fans as to who was the best center fielder in the city. "Was it the same feeling?" [186], Mays got off to a tortuous start to the 1972 season, batting .184 through his first 19 games. In 1957, the team went to Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, drawing 117,766 fans in 15 games, 14 of which were won by Mays's team. [225] Though teams of black All-Stars assembled those two seasons, they drew fewer fans and opted not to assemble in 1961, when Mays again decided not to barnstorm. Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-time lists, including those of The Sporting News and ESPN. [81] In the middle of May, Durocher asked him to try for more home runs. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Willie Howard Mays. [72][73] Hitting 41 home runs, Mays won the NL Most Valuable Player Award and the Hickok Belt. [127], Mays led the team in eight offensive categories in 1962: runs (130), doubles (36), home runs (49), RBI (141), stolen bases (18), walks (78), on-base percentage (.384), and slugging percentage (.613). [212], Mays's 24 appearances on an All-Star Game roster are tied with Musial for second all-time, behind only Hank Aaron's 25. "As soon as he hit it, I . This gave him his second straight 30-30 club season. It was officially retired in 2022. What illness does Willie Mays suffer from? Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and Mays's lawyer intervened, and the Mets agreed to keep him, as long as he stayed at home games for at least four innings. His first baseball card appearance was in the 1951 Bowman set. Rigney batted Mays leadoff in the final game, hoping to give him more at-bats and a shot at the title. Willie Mays Net Worth Now coming to the most important point for which you all have been eagerly waiting, that is the net worth of this celebrity which is estimated to be somewhat around $5 million as of 2022. WILLIE MAYS Autographs are WAY Undervalued Right Now! Willie Mays Wife. A new documentary about the "Say Hey Kid" holds its world premiere on Thursday. Willie's father was good-natured and spent a lot of time with his son Willie showing him the finer points of baseball. The couple adopted a five-day-old baby named Michael in 1959. "[241] "If somebody came up and hit .450, stole 100 bases and performed a miracle in the field every day, Id still look you in the eye and say Willie was better," Durocher said. [117][118] Mays had one of his best games on April30, 1961, hitting four home runs and driving in eight runs against the Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium. Owner Horace Stoneham could not guarantee Mays an income after retirement and the Mets offered Mays a coaching position upon his retirement. June 09, 2021 6 min read. Before the season began, he had asked Stoneham for a 10-year contract with the Giants organization, intending to serve in an off-the-field capacity with them once his playing career was over. Emerald was one of Cleopatra's favorite gems. When Margherite Wendell Chapman and Willie Mays were together, they lived in San Francisco's Sherwood Forest neighborhood. However, the Mets won the NL East. [195] Mays appeared in 88 games for the Mets in 1972, batting .250 in 244 at bats with eight home runs. Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-time lists, including those of The Sporting News and ESPN. On the basketball team, he led players at all-black high schools in Jefferson County in scoring. [209][210] His final at bat came in Game3, where he pinch-hit for Tug McGraw and grounded into a force play. [172] In an April game, Mays collided with Bobby Bonds while reaching his glove over the wall but made a catch to rob Bobby Tolan of a home run. [176] He scheduled his off days that season to avoid facing strikeout pitchers such as Bob Gibson or Tom Seaver. Ive always said that Willie Mays was the best player I ever saw. Age, Height, and Weight Being born on May 6, 1931, Willie Mays is 91 years old as of today's date 13th January 2023. [282][283], Mays has met with United States Presidents. Willie Mays is turning 90, and no mistaking that number. By the end of the month, he had pushed his batting average to over .300. "[258], Sudden collapses plagued Mays sporadically throughout his career, which occasionally led to hospital stays. [96], In 1958, Rigney wanted Mays to challenge Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a season. [143] While he batted under .300 (.296) for the first time since 1956, he led the NL with 47 home runs and ranked second with 121 runs scored and 111 RBI. Mays married Mae Louise Allen in 1971 and remained married until she succumbed to Alzheimer's disease in 2013. [108] In 1959, Mays batted .313 with 34 home runs and 113 RBIs, leading the league in stolen bases for the fourth year in a row. [133] The Series went all the way to a Game7, which the Yankees led 10 in the bottom of the ninth. "[257] Sportscaster Curt Gowdy said of Mays, "Willie Mays was the best player I ever saw. 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