May 6: Happy Birthday Willie Mays

[TMC]

https://lebeauleblog.com/2022/05/06/...y-willie-mays/

Say Hey! Willie Mays is 91 today. Just how he acquired his nickname of the “Say Hey Kid” is unclear, but the legend that the phrase was his habitual greeting to people appears to be false.

Mays is often considered the finest all-around field player in baseball history. He was a career .300 hitter in an era of low batting averages, while also being the first player to make a serious run at Babe Ruth’s career home run record. He was also an outstanding baserunner, leading the National League in triples and stolen bases several times each.

But what sets Mays apart among the game’s greats is that he combined being a force at the plate with exceptional defensive ability. The most famous play in his career was with his glove, not his bat. It is remembered simply as The Catch.



Mays grew up in the Birmingham, AL, area, and as a teenager played Negro League ball with the Birmingham Black Barons. He was signed by the New York Giants after he graduated from high school, tore through their minor league system, and made his major league debut a few weeks after his 20th birthday.

Mays spent nearly all of his professional career with the Giants, leading them to 3 National League pennants, and to victory in the 1954 World Series. He won the league’s MVP award in 1954 and 1965. After his retirement, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

[AMackII]

HBD, Willie Mays