RIP Willie Mays

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[br801]

Damn it. Was just reading this earlier today. RIP, Willie.

 

[Frozen]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[br801]

 

[realorange]

For many of us, The Centerfielder of all time.

Willie Mays Dies at 93; Was Baseball's Oldest Living Hall of Famer

Baseball's oldest living Hall of Famer, Willie Mays, died Tuesday at 93 years old, two days before MLB was set to stage a historic game in his native Alabama.

www.newsweek.com

 

[sutomcat]

He was just winding down his career when I got getting into baseball, so I never saw him play in his prime.

But I remembering staring at the stats on his baseball card in wonder. What an amazing player.

RIP Willie.

Willie Mays Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Willie Mays. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

 

[RF2044]

Wow ..

 

[Hoo's That]

If the Giants had stayed in NY, he would have broken Ruth's record before Aaron did. The wind in Candlestick Park knocked down a lot of what would have been HRs.

Here he is in one of his favorite activities in Harlem.

 

[orange79]

He was just winding down his career when I got getting into baseball, so I never saw him play in his prime.

But I remembering staring at the stats on his baseball card in wonder. What an amazing player.

RIP Willie.

Willie Mays Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Willie Mays. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

I saw him play when I was a kid - three game series at Shea when he played for the Mets at the end of his career. Even as a kid, I studied baseball and knew he was one of the all-time greats. I consider myself lucky to have seen him play in person.

RIP.

 

[phillydad]

I saw him play in the mid 60s and he was the most exciting baseball player I have ever seen just on his defense in CF alone.
RIP Willie.

 

[bevosu]

Mantle was very good and injuries cost him, but Willie was the better player. The best all-around centerfielder of all time. He could do it all.

 

[Cowtown]

I was fortunate enough to see him play. Like bevosu said, he was the best CF of all time. A great player during a great era for baseball. Cow removes cap and reflects quietly.

 

[Cowtown]

This is such a perfect photo. Willie brought joy into the game, and he was a joy to watch. Nobody was meant to play baseball more than him.

 

[Day2]

Arguably the coolest person to ever step foot on this planet.

 

[SWC75]

Willie was the greatest player of the second half of the 20th century. i can't say he was the greatest player of the 21st century as he didn't play in this century. The Babe was the player of the 1st half of the 20th century. Willie's numbers were tremendous but they limit people's appreciation of him. he was the last baseball superstar to lose significant time to military service, a year and a half near the beginning of his career. He came out of the service and hit .341 with 41 home runs and his team won the pennant and world series. He probably would have caught Ruth in homers before Aaron did without that, (he wound up 54 short). Then there was the shift to Candlestick, with a strong cross-wind to right field for a right-handed hitter. Then there was the 60's, when Commissioner Ford Frick, an old buddy of Ruths, raised the mound and increased the strike zone to prevent what he considered cheap record-breaking, resulting in what has been called the "second dead ball era". If Willie had played in the 'steroid era', he wouldn't have needed steroids to put up awesome numbers, (I've always thought it was really the juiced ball era). But beyond that, he was a 6 tool player: he could hit for average, hit for power run the bases, catch the ball, throw the ball and he was the smartest player who ever played the game. He did things tgo win games other players never thought of. He did things to win games they couldn't do and he did things in ways nobody else could do them. Everybody who ever saw him play through he as the greatest player they had ever seen and so did their kids.

I've heard people denigrate his famous catch in the 1954 series. The first thing to remember is that that wall behind him is 483 feet behind home plate. That's well beyond every center field fence today, (tonight I attended a Syracuse Mets game and 'deepest center field' is 400 feet away). The other thing is that that's half the play. Willie caught the ball over his head, pirouetted and rifled the ball to second to prevent anyone from scoring in the 8th inning of a 2-2 game the Giants won in extra innings. It was game one of a series against a team that was supposed to crush them and the Giant went on to sweep the Indians.

I read a football writer insist that "you see an over-the-head catch like that in every football game". No you don't. Also, Willie didn't know Vic was going to hit it there. it's not like a receiver who knows that's where the throw is going to go. Willie's catch and throw was as if a receiver came in late, missed the huddle and stood there, looking at what the quarterback did. The QB throws it 50 yards into the end zone and the tardy receiver runs to the end zone, catches the ball over his head and, in celebration, whirls and throws it back to the quarterback.

The thing is, neither Willie nor anyone on the Giants considered that to be his greatest play. they'd seen plays like that - or better - in regular season games that never got the recognition because they weren't in the world series.

 

[SWC75]

Broadcasters get emotional sharing Willie Mays' death​

MSN

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Met him one time. My buddy and I were in Baltimore to see a game. He was at a nearby hotel doing an autograph show. I got to shake his hand. Two things stuck out . First, he was much shorter than you would picture a great ball player to be. I am sure age had something to do with that. Second, his hand was HUGE!! I can palm a basketball, and his hand just engulfed mine to the point of it almost disappearing.
My buddy asked him to autograph his hat. Willie accommodated. Halfway through, the Sharpie ran dry. Once another was found, Willie signed the hat, again. My buddy’s hat read “Willie Willie Mays”.

 

[upperdeck]

I got to see him play late in the 73 run in the famous Mets Collision play where I think Theodore got hurt and he played outfield in the same game that Aaron played.. As a kid to see those 2 in the same game was pretty cool and there is no equivalent these days of any 2 players.

 

[OCESIP]

So many story lines about him. His 0-24 start and Durocher
telling him to hang in, his basket catch technique, his hat
flying off as he raced the bases, the constant comparison to
Mantle and Snider, etc, etc.

I was fortunate enough to grow up with him and the Giants
as a fan before Brock and free agency. You knew who your team
was and became attached as a fan, rooting for the same
group year after year. I know change is inevitable, but that
feeling was special back in the day.

 

[br801]

 

[SUFaninNJ]

My Mom shared a birthday with him. When I'd wish her a happy birthday, I'd always say, "And to Willie Mays too." Unfortunately my Mom passed away three months ago. Huge SU sports fan, by the way. Not a great run for people born on May 6th. Rest in Peace.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

So many story lines about him. His 0-24 start and Durocher
telling him to hang in, his basket catch technique, his hat
flying off as he raced the bases, the constant comparison to
Mantle and Snider, etc, etc.

I was fortunate enough to grow up with him and the Giants
as a fan before Brock and free agency. You knew who your team
was and became attached as a fan, rooting for the same
group year after year. I know change is inevitable, but that
feeling was special back in the day.

Do you mean Flood? If I recall, Brock was traded from the Cubs to the Cards. He wasn't a free agent.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[br801]

My Mom shared a birthday with him. When I'd wish her a happy birthday, I'd always say, "And to Willie Mays too." Unfortunately my Mom passed away three months ago. Huge SU sports fan, by the way. Not a great run for people born on May 6th. Rest in Peace.

I'm sorry for your loss. That's a rough one. Peace and love.