Willie Howard Mays, Jr., 1931–2024

[Edgy MD]

Just announced on the broadcast.

Greatest player alive is no longer alive.

Great American.

[Fman99]

RIP to the Say Hey Kid

[Frayed Knot]

For the first time in over nine decades we now live in a world without Willie Mays in it.

[Edgy MD]

How was this guy even for real?

[Bob Alpacadaca]

A very sad day.

[metirish]

Rest in peace , very sad to hear this

[metirish]

Keith emotional in the booth

[Edgy MD]

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

[Frayed Knot]

How was this guy even for real?

I remember a Howie Rose interview with Willie a bunch of years ago. And one of Howie's questions was that, at some point, you must have
realized that you weren't merely good. Willie's answer was, yes, it was when I was about 14. That surprised even Howie, but Willie's
explanation was that at that age he was the point guard on the HS varsity team, the QB on the junior varsity HS team, and he was
playing semi-pro baseball on the team where his father played. iow, against MEN! Shyeet, when I was in 8th grade I tipped the scales
at about 100 lbs flat and couldn't have held my own vs 9th graders much less against full grown adults.
Fourteen!

[batmagadanleadoff]

He's not in the Mets Hall of Fame like Jerry Grote is. But the Mets did retire his number. Does that merit a memorial patch?

TBD

[Edgy MD]

Willie Mays, 20-year-old Minneapolis Miller, contemplating the violence he's about to do.

[Frayed Knot]

Mays merits a league-wide memorial patch.
The Yanx will probably opt out.

[Frayed Knot]

The 5' 10" Mays didn't look like a physical specimen in ordinary street clothes. But with the shirt off it was a different story.
When asked what he was most proud about in his career one of the things he mentioned was coming into the league at
175 lbs and leaving it at 175 lbs.

[Edgy MD]

"Willie Mays is the only ballplayer I'd pay to see."

　　— Ty Cobb

[Cowtipper]

I got a little emotional when I heard the news.

[Edgy MD]

My brother and I spent a good chunk of our first Mets game peering through binoculars trying to spot coach Willie Mays in the dugout.

We grew up in a world where his name was spoken with such reverence that seeing him sitting was a greater thrill than seeing any active player in motion.

[dinosaur jesus]

I got to see him play. I've been bragging about that for fifty years.

[batmagadanleadoff]

This is one of my all-time favorite SI covers.

[batmagadanleadoff]

[MFS62]

I got to see him play. I've been bragging about that for fifty years.

I saw Mickey, Willie and the Duke call centerfield home in four NY ballparks.
Ah, the memories.
Later

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Dad made it a point to go see Mays and Aaron while we could, so were at the famous Hahn-Theodore collision game in 73. Not the 1st Mets game I attended (I think) but the first I remembered.

[Frayed Knot]

I got to see him play. I've been bragging about that for fifty years.

Yeah, I caught some TV games towards the end of his prime plus at least two at Shea. One as a SFG but also
was at Shea for one of his first NYM HRs. I don't remember if it was his first HR/first game as a NYM.


Looking at his sheet at BB-Ref: in 1971 at age 40 he played a mostly full skid (136 games/537 PA) and put
up a 907 OPS/158 OPS+
It was his last good year ... but he was 40!!

[Edgy MD]

It was as good a 40-year-old batting season as there was baseball history, at least until the steroid era.

And despite what folks say about his Mets career, his 41-year-old season was pretty terrific too, despite being only half a season. He had a .400 OBP!! In 1972!!

[batmagadanleadoff]

I got to see him play. I've been bragging about that for fifty years.

Yeah, I caught some TV games towards the end of his prime plus at least two at Shea. One as a SFG but also
was at Shea for one of his first NYM HRs. I don't remember if it was his first HR/first game as a NYM.


Looking at his sheet at BB-Ref: in 1971 at age 40 he played a mostly full skid (136 games/537 PA) and put
up a 907 OPS/158 OPS+
It was his last good year ... but he was 40!!

Mays led the NL in OBP in 1971 despite having slowed down considerably by then. He did it the smart way. Mays recognized his diminished bat speed and so purposely fouled off tough strikes to wear down opposing pitchers into finally throwing ball four.