{"id":2271331,"date":"2024-06-19T09:59:14","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T13:59:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/baseball-legend-willie-mays-dies-at-age-93\/"},"modified":"2024-06-19T10:04:17","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T14:04:17","slug":"baseball-legend-willie-mays-dies-at-age-93","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/baseball-legend-willie-mays-dies-at-age-93\/","title":{"rendered":"Baseball Icon Willie Mays Passes Away at 93"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbaseball-legend-willie-mays-dies-at-age-93%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2271331&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Willie Mays, revered as one of \u2063baseball&#8217;s greatest players and known as \u201cThe Say \u2062Hey Kid,\u201d \u2063has \u200cpassed \u2064away at the age of 93. His\u2063 death was announced by his family\u2063 and the San Francisco Giants. Mays is celebrated for\u2064 his\u200d remarkable career \u2063which spanned over 23 seasons, mostly with \u2062the \u200bNew York\/San Francisco Giants. His achievements\u2063 include \u200ca batting average of .301, 660 home runs, and over 3,000 hits. Mays was inducted \u2062into the \u200dHall of Fame in\u200b 1979 on his first\u200b ballot and impressively ranked second only to\u200c Babe\u200c Ruth \u2064in The Sporting News&#8217; compilation of\u2063 the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jason-whitlock-explains-why-aaron-judges-record-breaking-62nd-home-run-was-ruined-and-how-its-a-symptom-of-a-destroyed-american-culture\/\" title=\"Jason Whitlock Explains Why Aaron Judge\u2019s Record Breaking 62nd Home Run Was Ruined and How It\u2019s a Symptom of a Destroyed American Culture\">greatest baseball players<\/a> in 1999.<\/p>\n<p>Mays was not only a phenomenal athlete but also a joyful and inspirational figure in the sport. He\u2064 was known for his iconic cap-flying-off catches and his approachable\u200d and lively nature, often engaging directly \u200bwith fans. Beyond his athletic\u200c prowess, Mays had significant impact off the field, demonstrated\u200d by his\u2062 defusing a severe brawl in 1965,\u2064 showing leadership \u2063and\u2064 compassion. His legacy extends \u200cbeyond his statistics and accolades; he profoundly influenced MLB and its culture, making\u2063 enduring\u200d contributions to the sport&#8217;s history.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/sports\/\">  Sports <\/a>    <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/ap-reports\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/ap-reports\/%20\"><span>The Associated Press<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   June 18, 2024 at 7:23pm <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>Willie Mays, the electrifying \u201cSay Hey Kid\u201d whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball\u2019s greatest and most beloved players, has died. He was 93.<\/p>\n<p>Mays\u2019 family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced Tuesday night he had died earlier in the afternoon in the Bay Area.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">It is with great sadness that we announce that San Francisco Giants Legend and Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away peacefully this afternoon at the age of 93. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Qk4NySCFZQ\">pic.twitter.com\/Qk4NySCFZQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SFGiants (@SFGiants) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SFGiants\/status\/1803229363770478912?\">June 19, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cMy father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones,\u201d son Michael Mays said in a statement released by the club. \u201cI want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life\u2019s blood.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The center fielder was baseball\u2019s oldest living Hall of Famer. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1979, his first year of eligibility, and in 1999 followed only Babe Ruth on The Sporting News\u2019 list of the game\u2019s top stars.<\/p>\n<p>The Giants retired his uniform number, 24, and set their AT&#038;T Park in San Francisco on Willie Mays Plaza.<\/p>\n<p>Mays died two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to honor the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll of Major League Baseball is in mourning today as we are gathered at the very ballpark where a career and a legacy like no other began,\u201d Commissioner Rob Manfred said. \u201cWillie Mays took his all-around brilliance from the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League to the historic Giants franchise.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom coast to coast in New York and San Francisco, Willie inspired generations of players and fans as the game grew and truly earned its place as our National Pastime. \u2026 We will never forget this true Giant on and off the field.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The way we saw Willie. \ud83e\udde1 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/l4tNkrHVpl\">pic.twitter.com\/l4tNkrHVpl<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 MLB (@MLB) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MLB\/status\/1803249342389567597?\">June 19, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Few were so blessed with each of the five essential qualities for a superstar \u2014 hitting for average, hitting for power, speed, fielding and throwing.<\/p>\n<p>Fewer so joyously exerted those qualities \u2014 whether launching home runs; dashing around the bases, loose-fitting cap flying off his head; or chasing down fly balls in center field and finishing the job with his trademark basket catch.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I played ball, I tried to make sure everybody enjoyed what I was doing,\u201d Mays told NPR in 2010. \u201cI made the clubhouse guy fit me a cap that when I ran, the wind gets up in the bottom and it flies right off. People love that kind of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Giants fans are paying tribute to Willie Mays at his statue outside Oracle Park \ud83e\udde1\ud83d\udda4 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/VzBM9pLhvI\">pic.twitter.com\/VzBM9pLhvI<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBCSGiants\/status\/1803274448700862937?\">June 19, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Over 23 major league seasons, virtually all with the New York\/San Francisco <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-not-happy-umps-call-brutal-strikeout-pitch-think\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Giants<\/a> but also including one in the Negro Leagues, Mays batted .301, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,293 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves.<\/p>\n<p>He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice was named the Most Valuable Player and finished in the top 10 for the MVP 10 other times.<\/p>\n<p>His lightning sprint and over-the-shoulder grab of an apparent extra-base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most celebrated defensive play in baseball history.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Simply iconic<\/p>\n<p>Willie Mays made The Catch OTD in 1954. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Postseason?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Postseason<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/MUTfw7qkyr\">pic.twitter.com\/MUTfw7qkyr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 MLB Vault (@MLBVault) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MLBVault\/status\/1311022961541943299?\">September 29, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Between 1954 and 1966, Mays drove in 100 or more runs 10 times, scored 100 or more 12 times, hit 40 or more homers six times (more than 50 homers twice) and led the league in stolen bases four times.<\/p>\n<p>His numbers might have been bigger. He missed most of 1952 and all of 1953 because of military service, quite possibly costing him the chance to overtake Ruth\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ken-burns-new-documentary-reminds-fans-why-they-love-baseball\/\" title=\"Ken Burns\u2019 New Documentary Reminds Fans Why They Love Baseball\">career home run record<\/a> of 714, an honor that first went to Henry Aaron and then Mays\u2019 godson, Barry Bonds. He likely would have won more Gold Gloves if the award had been established before 1956. He insisted he would have led the league in steals more often had he tried.<\/p>\n<p>Sports writer Barney Kremenko has often been credited with nicknaming him \u201cThe Say Hey Kid,\u201d referring to Mays\u2019 spirited way of greeting his teammates.<\/p>\n<p>Moments on and off the field sealed the public\u2019s affection. In 1965, Mays defused a horrifying brawl after teammate Juan Marichal clubbed Los Angeles Dodgers catcher John Roseboro with a bat. Mays led a bloodied Roseboro away and sat with him on the clubhouse bench of the Dodgers, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/mlb-team-will-become-first-wear-lgbt-themed-uniforms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Giants\u2019<\/a> hated rivals.<\/p>\n<p>Years earlier, when living in Manhattan, he endeared himself to young fans by playing in neighborhood stickball games.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI used to have maybe 10 kids come to my window,\u201d he said in 2011 while visiting the area of the old Polo Grounds. \u201cEvery morning, they\u2019d come at 9 o\u2019clock. They\u2019d knock on my window, get me up. And I had to be out at 9:30. So they\u2019d give me a chance to go shower. They\u2019d give me a chance to eat breakfast. But I had to be out there at 9:30, because that\u2019s when they wanted to play. So I played with them for about maybe an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He was born in Westfield, Alabama, in 1931, the son of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/mlb-takes-records-away-babe-ruth-ty-cobb-overnight-incorporating-negro-leagues-stats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Negro League<\/a> player who wanted Willie to do the same, playing catch with him and letting him sit in the dugout. Young Mays was so gifted an athlete that childhood friends swore that basketball, not baseball, was his best sport.<\/p>\n<p>By high school, he was playing for the Birmingham Black Barons, and late in life would receive an additional 10 hits to his career total, 3,293, when Negro League statistics were recognized in 2024 by Major League Baseball.<\/p>\n<p>With Robinson breaking the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/heres-why-mlb-ruled-albert-pujols-bat-illegal-in-hands-of-astros-catcher\/\" title=\"Here\u2019s Why MLB Ruled Albert Pujols\u2019 Bat Illegal In Hands Of Astros Catcher\">major league\u2019<\/a>s color barrier in 1947, Mays\u2019 ascension became inevitable. The Giants signed him after he graduated from high school (he had to skip his senior prom) and sent him to its minor league affiliate in Trenton, New Jersey.<\/p>\n<p>He began the 1951 season with Minneapolis, a Triple-A club. After 35 games, he was batting a head-turning .477 and was labeled by one scout as \u201cthe best prospect in America.\u201d Giants Manager Leo Durocher saw no reason to wait and demanded that Mays, barely 20 at the time, join his team\u2019s starting lineup.<\/p>\n<p>Durocher managed Mays from 1951 to 1955 and became a father figure \u2014 the surly but astute leader who nurtured and sometimes pampered the young phenom. As Durocher liked to tell it, and Mays never disputed, Mays struggled in his first few games and was ready to go back to the minors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the minors I\u2019m hitting .477, killing everybody. And I came to the majors, I couldn\u2019t hit. I was playing the outfield very, very well, throwing out everybody, but I just couldn\u2019t get a hit,\u201d Mays told the Academy of Achievement, a Washington-based leadership center, in 1996.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd I started crying,\u201d he continued, \u201cand Leo came to me and he says, \u2018You\u2019re my center fielder; it doesn\u2019t make any difference what you do. You just go home, come back and play tomorrow.\u2019 I think that really, really turned me around.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Leo Durocher on Willie Mays.<br \/> RIP to an all time great <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8diQb6ev5J\">pic.twitter.com\/8diQb6ev5J<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 George in Frisco (@TenderloinDad) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TenderloinDad\/status\/1803239352509837476?\">June 19, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Asked about career highlights, Mays inevitably mentioned \u201cThe Catch,\u201d but also cherished hitting four home runs in a game against the Braves; falling over a canvas fence to make a catch in the minors; and running into a fence in Brooklyn\u2019s Ebbets Field while chasing a bases-loaded drive, knocking himself out, but still holding on to the ball.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the time, he was happy just being on the field, especially when the sun went down.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI mean, you had the lights out there and all you do is go out there, and you\u2019re out there by yourself in center field,\u201d he told the achievement academy. \u201cAnd, I just felt that it was such a beautiful game that I just wanted to play it forever, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.<\/p>\n<div id=\"author-info-44902\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/ap-reports\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-44902\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-44902\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-44902\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-44902\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The Associated Press is an independent, not-for<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-case-involving-trump-17-house-democrats-and-the-biden-administration\/\" title=\"Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Case Involving Trump, 17 House Democrats, and the Biden Administration\">-profit news cooperative headquartered<\/a> in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world\u2019s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Willie Mays, known as the &#8220;Say Hey Kid&#8221; and celebrated as one of baseball&#8217;s greatest, has died at 93. His death was announced by his family and the San Francisco Giants. Mays was renowned for his exceptional talent and vibrant spirit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":2271332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/6cfa8a4adbd842a4958282740a90808f-1-scaled-e1718800418616.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2271331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/6cfa8a4adbd842a4958282740a90808f-1-scaled-e1718800418616.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2271331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2271331"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2271331\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2271332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2271331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2271331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2271331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}