Willie Mays, one of the greatest baseball players of all time who was known for his power, speed and defense on the field and being an ambassador for the game off of it, has died at the age of 93.
A statement from the family issued by his former club the San Francisco Giants said he had “passed away peacefully and among loved ones” on Tuesday.
“I 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’s blood,” his son Michael Mays wrote.
Born in 1931 and making his professional debut in 1948, Mays was a 24-time All-Star who spent parts of 21 seasons with the Giants, both when they were in New York and San Francisco.
He was named National League Rookie of the Year in 1951 – after the Giants brought his contract from Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League in 1948.
After the 1951 season, Mays was drafted into the US Army to serve in the Korean War, returning in 1954.
He went on to win the World Series with the Giants in 1954 against the Cleveland Indians. The over-the-shoulder catch he made set against the backdrop of the deep Polo Grounds center field helped the team cinch the win with a score of 5-2 after 10 innings. The catch is considered the greatest defensive play in baseball history.
In 2010, Mays told biographer James S Hirsch: “Soon as it got hit, I knew I’d catch the ball.
“All the time I’m running back, I’m thinking, ‘Willie, you’ve got to get this ball back to the infield’.”
He was named the league’s MVP in 1954 and 1965.
In addition to his two National League MVP awards, he also finished in the top 10 for MVP 10 other times.
In 1972 he was traded to the New York Mets at the age of 41 where he played for two more seasons before retiring.
Mays was the oldest living Hall of Famer, after being elected on his first year of eligibility in 1979, with nearly 95 percent of the vote.
Throughout his career, he had a batting average of .301, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,293 hits, scored 2,068 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves, earning him his place in the Sporting News magazine‘s list of the 100 greatest baseball players of the 20th century, being ranked second only to Babe Ruth.
His WAR total - a measure of his value on the field - ranks 5th all time.
Aside from his incredible career, he was also renowned for his exuberant style of play and habit of greeting people with the phrase, “Say Hey,” earning him the nickname “Say Hey Kid.”
In 2015, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-president Barack Obama.
Following his death, tributes flooded in for the iconic center fielder.
Giants chairman Greg Johnson described Mays as a “true legend.”
“In the pantheon of baseball greats, Willie Mays’ combination of tremendous talent, keen intellect, showmanship and boundless joy set him apart,” he said. “He was an inspiration and a hero who will be forever remembered and deeply missed.”
Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom praised Mays as “more than just a baseball icon.”
“He broke barriers and inspired millions of Americans — setting records, bringing joy to countless fans, and becoming a role model for a generation of future athletes.”
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred also paid tribute, saying Mays left “a legacy like no other.”
“His incredible achievements and statistics do not begin to describe the awe that came with watching Willie Mays dominate the game in every way imaginable,” he said. “We will never forget this true Giant on and off the field.”
