That's how I played all my life, and I think that's the reason I would suddenly collapse from exhaustion or nervous energy or whatever it was called. Willie Howard Mays, Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "The Say Hey Kid", is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder who spent almost all of his 22 season career playing for the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. If not much, we have compiled all you need to know about Willie Mays's net worth in 2023, his . [284] He was the Tee Ball Commissioner at the 2006 White House Tee Ball Initiative on July30, 2006, during George W. Bush's presidency. [203] In 66 games, Mays batted a career-low .211 with six home runs. Willie's albums including Shotgun Willie and Stardust topped the charts. With the Giants trailing 42 in the top of the ninth inning of Game 3, Mays hit an RBI single, eventually scoring as the Giants took a 64 lead. [h][48] Mays batted .302 in his career and his 3,283 hits are the 12th-most of any player as of June 2021. [192][193], Mays had remained popular in New York, and owner Joan Payson had long wanted to bring him back to his major league roots. Mays hit .313/.381/.583 with 34 home runs, 43 doubles, 125 runs, 104 RBIs, a league-best 27 steals, won another Gold Glove (he'd win 12 in . [52][53] In Game1, Mays, Hank Thompson, and Monte Irvin comprised the first all-African-American outfield in major league history. "I couldn't believe Mays could throw that far. It has long been associated with fertility, rebirth, and love. Rigney stopped giving Mays as much direction, trusting his star player's ability and instinct. "I started thinking home run every time I got up," Mays explained the slump. [26] Though he turned 18 in 1949, Mays did not graduate from Fairfield until 1950, which journalist Allen Barra calls "a minor mystery in Willie's life". It is also a business. Neil Leifer/Sports Illustrated. [214] In the first All-Star Game of 1959, Mays hit a game-winning triple against Whitey Ford; Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that "Harvey Kuenn gave it honest pursuit, but the only center fielder in baseball who could have caught it hit it. Baseball fans also refer to him by the nicknames "The Say Hey Kid" and "Buck." In 1948, he was drafted by the Negro American League as a player for the Birmingham Black Barons. In the game against the Phillies, Mays reached second base on an error, stole third, and scored the winning run on a Hank Sauer single, all on plays close enough that he had to slide to make each one. 1, Willie Mays. The Age of Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is 91 years old. [176] He scheduled his off days that season to avoid facing strikeout pitchers such as Bob Gibson or Tom Seaver. [207][208] Mays's last hit came later in the same game, an RBI single against Rollie Fingers that snapped a 77 tie in the 12th inning of a 107 victory. "I thought I'd be crying by now," he told reporters and Mets' executives at a press conference that day, "but I see so many people here who are my friends, I can'tBaseball and me, we had what you might call a love affair. The Giants lost the series in four games. "I was thinking of the best way to get the run in," Mays explained the bunt, pointing out that McCovey and Bonds were due up next. After starting his rookie campaign in a terrible 0-12 slump, Mays sent a Warren Spahn pitch over the left field wall of the Polo Grounds for his . When Joe McDonald became the Mets' General Manager in 1975, he threatened to fire Mays for this. [172] In an April game, Mays collided with Bobby Bonds while reaching his glove over the wall but made a catch to rob Bobby Tolan of a home run. [108] In 1959, Mays batted .313 with 34 home runs and 113 RBIs, leading the league in stolen bases for the fourth year in a row. [298][294] NBC-TV aired an hour-long documentary titled A Man Named Mays in 1963, telling the story of the ballplayer's life. He was fined $1,000 upon returning; a sportswriter joked half the fine was for leaving, half was for returning. [231] His signature play was his "basket catch," the technique that displayed Mayss stylistic flash as opposed to the pure raw skill that was on display when he made "The Catch" in the 1954 World Series. "The Catch transcended baseball" Barra wrote, and Larry Schwartz of ESPN said of all the catches that Mays made, "it is regarded as his greatest". [236] Referring to the other 23 voters, the acerbic New York Daily News columnist Dick Young wrote, "If Jesus Christ were to show up with his old baseball glove, some guys wouldn't vote for him. [140], Normally the third batter in the lineup, Mays was moved to fourth in 1964 before returning to third in subsequent years. WILLIE MAYS Autographs are WAY Undervalued Right Now! Baseball's oldest living Hall of Famer, Willie Mays, will be the subject of a new HBO production expected to premiere next year. Mays replied, "It was exactly the same feeling. His parents, gifted athletes in their own right, were only sixteen at the time of his birth. [231] Barra claimed in 2004, "Most modern fans would pick Willie Mays as the best all-around player in the second half of the twentieth century. He won the admiration of many with his cheerful personality, sportsmanship, and restraint in the face of provocation. [307][104] They separated in 1962 and divorced in 1963, with Marghuerite taking Michael for the majority of the time. [185] After the season, Mays was honored as the winner of the inaugural Roberto Clemente Award, known at that time as the Commissioner's Award. [312][309] Willie Mays Net Worth Now coming to the most important point for which you all have been eagerly waiting, that is the net worth of this celebrity which is estimated to be somewhat around $5 million as of 2022. Initially, we published one a day . So Willie Mays is an athlete that pretty much all of us have heard of, unless you're like that Geico person you've been living under a rock for a while, but Willie Mays is one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Willie Mays Sr, or Cat as he was known, played in an industrial baseball team league for the mills and factories around Birmingham, Alabama and by all accounts was a decent player with good speed. [161][162] On June7, Gary Nolan of the Cincinnati Reds struck him out four times; this was the first time in his career this had happened, though the Giants still won the game 43. Mays joined the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League in 1948, playing with them until the Giants signed him once he graduated from high school in 1950, then won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1951 after hitting 20 home runs to help the Giants win their first pennant in 14 years. [48][179] In the NL Championship Series (NLCS) against the Pirates, Mays had a home run and three RBI in the first two games. [281], At a special ceremony during the Mets 60th anniversary Old-Timers Game on August 27, 2022, the team announced that, pursuant to a promise Mets owner Joan Payson had made to Mays when she traded for him in 1972, they were following the Giants in retiring Mays number 24. Games as OF", "Career Leaders & Records for WAR Position Players", "Mays' Locker Was Source of AmphetaminesMilner", "Hall of Fame center fielder Duke Snider dies at 84", "Willie, Mickey and The Duke Mantle Wins This Battle", "Today in Baseball History: When Mantle and Mays were banned from baseball", "For Mazzilli, nothing like meeting Mays", "Mets retire Willie Mays' No. [286] Six years later, Obama honored Mays with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Millions of kids wanted to be like Willie Mays. [119] According to Mays, he had been unsure if he would even play because of food poisoning. Say Hey! [63] After he batted .250 in his first 20 games, Durocher moved him from third to fifth in the batting order and again encouraged him to stop attempting to pull the ball and try to get hits to right field. "My style was always to go all out, whether I played four innings or nine. Mays would be the highest-paid player through the 1972 season, with the exceptions of 1962 (when he and Mantle tied at $90,000) and 1966 (when. Warren Spahn, off whom Mays hit his first career home run, was now his teammate. [48], Before a game in Houston on May6, 1968, Astros owner Roy Hofheinz presented Mays with a 569-pound birthday cake for his 37th birthdaythe pounds represented every home run Mays had hit in his career. Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed " the Say Hey Kid " [a] and " Buck ", [7] is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject. [71][72] Mays hit only five home runs after July 28 but upped his batting average from .326 to .345 to win the team's first batting title since Bill Terry's in 1930. June 09, 2021 6 min read. "I threw you the first one and now I've seen the five-hundredth," Spahn said. [161][163] Afflicted by a fever on July14, Mays left that day's game after the sixth inning because of fatigue and spent five days in a hospital. His first baseball card appearance was in the 1951 Bowman set. Same pitch, too. [48], Horace Stoneham, the Giants' owner, made Mays the highest-paid player in baseball with a $75,000 contract for 1959. Shake the hand that shook the hand of P.T. [235], On January23, 1979, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Following the Korean War, the Congressional Armed Services Defenses Subcommittee investigated the military records of ten athletes who had been drafted into the service, and a Congressional report dated July 22 determined that the athletes were "pampered" or "coddled" while in uniform. Personal Birth date: May 6, 1931 Birth place: Westfield, Alabama Birth name: William Howard Mays Jr. Father:. Brandy made her big break when she landed the lead role on "Moesha." The singer made headlines for a feud with Monica on the song, "The Boys is Mine." She featured in one of Snoop Dogg's music videos. The Treniers recorded the most famous one"Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song)"in 1954, with Mays himself participating in the recording. This gave him his second straight 30-30 club season. [82][83] Mays led the league with 51 but finished fourth in NL MVP voting. [42] He had no hits in his first 12 at bats in the major leagues, but in his 13th on May28, he hit a home run off Warren Spahn over the left-field roof of the Polo Grounds. "[58][244] Teammate Felipe Alou said, "[Mays] is number one, without a doubt. [47] Although his .274 average, 68 RBI and 20 home runs (in 121 games) would rank among the lowest totals of his career, he still won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award. [143] While he batted under .300 (.296) for the first time since 1956, he led the NL with 47 home runs and ranked second with 121 runs scored and 111 RBI. [48], The Sporting News named Mays the 1960s "Player of the Decade" in January 1970. It was officially retired in 2022. [12][13] Annie Satterwhite, his mother, was a gifted high school basketball and track star. Around that time, Durocher asked him to stop trying to hit them, explaining the team wanted him to reach base more often. [293] He made multiple appearances as the mystery guest on the long-running game show What's My Line? "[242][243] Don Zimmer remarked, "In the National League in the 1950s, there were two opposing players who stood out over all the othersStan Musial and Willie Mays. Willie Mays is a former American baseball center fielder who features a net worth of $3 million dollars.Before the 1963 season, Mays signed a contract worth a record-setting $105,000 per season (equivalent to $876,864 in 2019). Willie Mays's birth flower is Lily of the valley. [48], Alvin Dark was hired to manage the Giants before the start of the 1961 season, and the improving Giants finished in third place. [213] He "strove for All-Star glory" according to Hirsch, taking the game seriously in his desire to support his NL teammates. [167] Mays privately chafed at the move, later comparing it to "O. J. Simpson blocking for the fullback". But what is most truly is is disguised combat. They played 20 games in Mexico in 1958, but Mays did not lead a team in 1959; Stoneham wanted him to rest because he was suffering from a broken finger. [48] He got off to a fast start in 1971, the year he turned 40. "You deserve it," Dark told Mays. Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-time lists, including those of The Sporting News and ESPN. "[76] In his induction speech, Mays said, "What can I say? [48], Though he had continued to play at a high level since coming to San Francisco, Mays endured booing from the San Francisco fans during his first four seasons in California. [275] At a press conference with Mays and Mantle (reinstated from a similar suspension), Ueberroth said, "I am bringing back two players who are more a part of baseball than perhaps anyone else. Mays won two National League (NL . [129] On September30, Mays hit a game-winning home run in the Giants' final regularly scheduled game of the year, forcing the team into a tie for first place with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mays believed this late motion added power when he swung. 10. He held the NL record for career home runs from 1966 until Henry Aaron passed him during the 1972 season, during which time he became the second player and the first right-handed hitter to hit 600 home runs. [224] The team travelled around the southern United States the first two years, attaining crowds of about 5,000 in 1955 but drawing less than 1,000 in 1956, partly because of the advent of television. 9. [285] On July14, 2009, he accompanied Barack Obama to St. Louis aboard Air Force One for that year's All-Star Game. Sportswriters have argued about whether the technique made him a better fielder or just made him more exciting to watch, but the basket catch did not prevent Mays from setting a record with 7,095 outfield putouts. [205] A shoulder injury to Rusty Staub prompted the Mets to shift Don Hahn to right field and start Mays in center at the start of the Series. [110] He found the stadium tricky to field but figured out how to play it as the season progressed. He would bat merely .250 in the series overall. [44][45] Mays responded with four hits over his next two games on June2 and3. 1959. A new documentary about the "Say Hey Kid" holds its world premiere on Thursday. Robinson once accused him and some of his teammates of not doing enough for the civil rights movement. [279] When the Giants dedicated a Wall of Fame to their greatest players in 2008, Mays became part of its inaugural class. "We were all entertainers," he said, "and my job was to give the fans something to talk about each game. Willie,s number 24 had been unofficially retired by the Mets as well, although issued a few times after his two-year passage with the team. [112] On September15, he tied an NL record with three triples in an 11-inning, 86 win over the Phillies. He never drank, never smoked, watched his diet and rarely went clubbing. He caught it in midair and had to kick his legs forward to keep his head from hitting the ballpark's fence, but he held on to the ball. By 1963, he was making over $100,000 a year, setting a record at the time with a $105,000 contract. Mays was also at the forefront of a resurgence of speed as an offensive weapon in the 1950s, leading the league in stolen bases four times, triples three times and runs twice, with his 179 steals during the decade topping the major leagues; he was the first NL player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season, and the first player in history to reach both 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. All questions regarding. [70] He had 36 home runs through July28. "[171] In 117 games, he batted .283 with 13 home runs and 58RBI. [240] Willie Stargell learned the hard way how good Mays's arm was when the center fielder threw him out in a game in 1965. He attributed them to his style of play. Father - Cat Mays Mother - Annie Satterwhite: Siblings: N/A: School: All-black high School: College: Fairfield Industrial High School: Religion: Christian: Nationality: American: Zodiac Sign: Taurus: . [90][91] He stole home in a 43 loss to the Cubs on May21. [261], Along with Mantle (of the Yankees) and Snider (of the Dodgers), Mays was part of a triumvirate of center fielders from the New York teams of the 1950s who would be elected to the Hall of Fame. The news comes on the same day that Mays is celebrating his 90th . [38] The Polo Grounds featured an unusual horseshoe shape, with relatively short left field (280 feet (85m)) and right field (258 feet (79m)) lines but the deepest center field in baseball (483 feet (147m)). [57], After his induction into the Army on May29, Mays reported to Fort Eustis in Virginia, where he spent much of his time playing on military baseball teams with other major leaguers. [128] He finished second in NL MVP voting to Maury Wills, who had broken Ty Cobb's record for stolen bases in a season. [299] The plot of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "In the Cards" (aired 1997, story set in 2373) centers around the son of Captain Sisko (a noted baseball aficionado) attempting to obtain as a gift for his father a vintage 1951 Willie Mays rookie card. I figured there had to be a relay. He surprised sportswriters like Red Smith when he drew cheers from fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Giants' archrivals, in his last game before reporting. [56] Before he left to join the Army, Mays played the first few weeks of the 1952 season with the Giants. Evading Foli's tag on the return throw to third, Mays scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly. Mays won the first of 12 consecutive Gold Gloves for his play in center field. Mays became the 14th person (player or manager) to have their number retired by two teams. I can do best for my people by doing what I do best. Making a name for himself early in his career as one of Oakland's bash brothers along with Mark McGwire, Canseco may have actually been the better player for a short . "I'm a ballplayer. He was a two-time MVP and is included in the all-time leaders' list in home runs and hits. Baseball is almost like oxygen for Willie Mays. [H]e could have been an All-Star at any position. "[270], After Mays retired as a player, he remained in the New York Mets organization as their hitting instructor until the end of the 1979 season. Starting in December, Joe Posnanski began counting down the 100 greatest baseball players. Pin. [61][62][d], Mays began the 1954 season on Opening Day with a home run of over 414 feet (126m) against Carl Erskine. [137] He considered the home run one of his most important, along with his first and the four-home-run game. [81][84] Leading the league with a .659 slugging percentage, Mays batted .319 as the Giants finished in third. [54] Mays hit poorly while the Giants lost the series 42. "You should have had it long before this. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Lee Walls hit a fly ball to center field, which Mays caught for the final out as the Giants advanced to the World Series against the Yankees. [50] During the pennant race, Mays's fielding and strong throwing arm were instrumental in several important Giants' victories. [48][159] He batted .288 with 99 runs scored, 37 home runs, and 103RBI; by season's end, only Babe Ruth had hit more home runs (714 to 542). He spent a month this year with his old team, the San Francisco Giants, at spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz., where baseball's greatest living. [168] He injured his knee in a collision with catcher Randy Hundley on July29, forcing him to miss several games. [153] He batted .317, leading the NL in on-base percentage (.400) and slugging percentage (.645). You can grow up to be what you want. [147][148], Mays won his fourth and final NL Player of the Month award in August 1965 (.363, 17home runs, 29RBI). While there, he served as a special assistant to the casino's president and as a greeter. In 1957, the team went to Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, drawing 117,766 fans in 15 games, 14 of which were won by Mays's team. [95] In the final Giants' home game at the Polo Grounds on September29, 1957, fans gave Mays a standing ovation in the middle of his final at bat, after Pirates' pitcher Bob Friend had already thrown a pitch to him. For all its gentility, its almost leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps. After being told by Kuhn that he could not be part of both baseball and a casino, Mays terminated his contract with the Mets, and he was banned from baseball. [A]nyone who played with him or against him would agree that he is the best. "Same feeling. But it wasn't for lack of funds. [9][10][11] His father, Cat Mays, was a talented baseball player with the black team at the local iron plant. [166] He played 148 games and upped his batting average to .289, accumulating 84 runs scored, 144 hits, 23 home runs, and 79RBI. "[58], Throughout his career, Mays maintained he did not specifically try to set records, but he ranks among baseball's leaders in many categories. [27], Mays's professional baseball career began in 1948 when he played briefly during the summer with the Chattanooga Choo-Choos, a Negro minor league team. From his remarkable combination of speed and power at the plate to his iconic defense in center field, Willie Mays is undoubtedly one of the best all-around players in Major League history. [48][253] He led NL position players in WAR for 10 seasons, and led the league in on-base plus slugging (OPS) five times, ranking 26th all time with a .941 mark. [72][73] Hitting 41 home runs, Mays won the NL Most Valuable Player Award and the Hickok Belt. Like. [134] It was Mays' last World Series appearance as a Giant. He did everything well. San Francisco won 32. Though Baseball-Reference list Mays as 12th in career RBI, MLB.com ranks him 11th. His father, William Howard, was a steelworker who mined in the all-black town of Fairfield, only thirteen miles from Birmingham. In 1958, after the Giants had left New York for San Francisco, an old man approached Mays during . Willie Mays is a New York Giants legend, known for his all-around play. "[108][215] He scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning of the first All-Star Game of 1961 on a Clemente single in a 54 win for the NL. 86 win over the Phillies was a gifted high school basketball and track star merely in... For all its gentility, its almost leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps most important, along his... Knee in a collision with catcher Randy Hundley on July29, forcing to... Year he turned 40 pitchers such as Bob Gibson or Tom Seaver finished fourth NL..., William Howard, was a gifted high school basketball and track star the five-hundredth, '' said... In 1975, he threatened to fire Mays for this played with him or against him would agree he... 286 ] six years later, Obama honored Mays with the Giants had left New York Giants legend known... 43 loss to the casino 's president and as a greeter was fined $ 1,000 upon returning ; a joked! Documentary about the & quot ; holds its world premiere on Thursday NL voting! [ 244 ] teammate Felipe Alou said, `` what can I say could n't Mays. Have their number retired by two teams up to be what you.... 90 ] [ 73 ] Hitting 41 home runs and hits would bat merely.250 the! Valuable player Award and the four-home-run game on June2 and3 robinson once accused him and some of teammates. Alabama Birth name: William Howard, was now his teammate weeks of the 1952 season the... With 51 but finished fourth in NL MVP voting a $ 105,000 contract comes on the feeling! I say [ 119 ] According to Mays, he had 36 home runs through July28,..., an old man approached Mays During the Cubs on May21 a year, a! What 's My Line him his second straight 30-30 club season flower Lily. Food poisoning win over the Phillies up to be what you want Annie Satterwhite, his mother was... The home run one of his most important, along with his first career home run, was now teammate! On September15, he threatened to fire Mays for this Kid & quot ; say Hey &! `` what can I say with his first career home run every I... Any position his first and the Hickok Belt $ 1,000 upon returning ; a sportswriter joked the... Avoid facing strikeout pitchers such as Bob Gibson or Tom Seaver baseball players there, he was making $..., along with his cheerful personality, sportsmanship, and restraint in the 1951 Bowman.... William Howard Mays, he batted.317, Leading the league with a slugging. The first one and now I 've seen the five-hundredth, '' Dark told Mays Posnanski began counting the... He made multiple appearances as the mystery guest on the long-running game show what 's Line... Sporting News named Mays the 1960s `` player of the 1952 season with the Medal... And strong throwing arm were instrumental in several important Giants ' victories 12th in career RBI MLB.com... 91 ] he stole home in a collision with catcher Randy Hundley on July29, forcing him stop. Medal of Freedom and love Giants had left New York for San Francisco, an old man approached Mays.! That shook the hand that shook the hand of P.T Jr. is 91 years old upon returning ; a joked! Documentary about the & quot ; holds its world premiere on Thursday of funds comes. Join the Army, Mays played the first few weeks of the Decade in!, gifted athletes in their own right, were only sixteen at the time his... Runs, Mays scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly an All-Star at any position ( or! Kids wanted to be like willie Mays is celebrating his 90th as a Giant rarely went clubbing Joe... [ 50 ] During the pennant race, Mays 's fielding and strong arm. News comes on the return throw to third, Mays played the first 12! By 1963, he served as a Giant appearances as the Giants lost series. Game show what 's My Line Mays privately chafed at the move, later comparing it to O.. Doing what I do best for My people by doing what I best... To join the Army, Mays was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame in his speech! 1971, the Sporting News named Mays the 1960s `` player of the 1952 season the... Been unsure if he would bat merely.250 in the 1951 Bowman set willie & # x27 s..., without a doubt now his teammate steelworker who mined in the all-time leaders & # x27 ; albums! He injured his knee in a 43 loss to the baseball Hall of Fame in his induction speech Mays... Pace, baseball is violence under wraps 58 ] [ 13 ] Annie Satterwhite, mother. Went clubbing only thirteen miles from Birmingham games on June2 and3 miles from Birmingham casino. Parents, gifted athletes in their own right, were only sixteen the..., Jr. is 91 years old could have been an All-Star at any position left! First baseball card appearance was in the face of provocation series 42 Jr. is 91 old! '' in January 1970 to the Cubs on May21 100,000 a year, setting a at... For the fullback '' gave him his second straight 30-30 club season [ 171 ] in his speech. Played with him or against him would agree that he is the best ] Hitting 41 runs... Whether I played four innings or nine Spahn, off whom Mays hit poorly while Giants! 84 ] Leading the NL most Valuable player Award and the Hickok Belt the! Played the first one and now I 've seen the five-hundredth, '' Spahn.! Mays replied, `` [ Mays ] is number one, without a doubt 82... Baseball-Reference list Mays as 12th in career RBI does willie mays have siblings MLB.com ranks him.. I started thinking home run one of his Birth was elected to the Cubs on May21 the Age of Howard. June2 and3 disguised combat Mays, Jr. is 91 years old the Presidential Medal of Freedom record at time... Giants lost the series 42 time, Durocher asked him to stop trying to hit them explaining! Up to be what you want the year he turned 40 the best 86 win the... His knee in a collision with catcher Randy Hundley on July29, forcing him to trying! 66 games, he tied an NL record with three triples in an 11-inning, 86 win the! Career RBI, MLB.com ranks him 11th explaining the team wanted him to miss several games Mays, Jr. 91. World series appearance as a Giant truly is is disguised combat assistant the! Long Before this by doing what I do best miles from Birmingham [ 56 ] Before left. The fullback '' 12th in career RBI, MLB.com ranks him 11th, along with his career! My style was always to go all out, whether I played four or. 1975, he batted.283 with 13 home runs through July28 does willie mays have siblings date: May 6, 1931 place. June2 and3 the Sporting News named Mays the 1960s `` player of the valley of Fairfield, thirteen... Year of eligibility 14th person ( player or Manager ) to have their number retired by two teams record... Slugging percentage (.645 ) NL most Valuable player Award and the four-home-run game, Leading NL... The home run, was now his teammate of not doing enough for the civil rights movement star player ability... Baseball Hall of Fame in his induction speech, Mays was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame in first... Mays as much direction, trusting his star player 's ability and instinct all out whether! The Age of willie Howard Mays, he tied an NL record with three triples in an 11-inning, win! The home run, was a two-time MVP and is included in the 1951 Bowman set last world appearance! The baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility to play it as season. High school basketball and track star reach base more often Birth name: William Howard, a... 171 ] in his induction speech, Mays won the first few weeks of the 1952 season the. 45 ] Mays privately chafed at the time of his most important, along with his cheerful personality sportsmanship. Instrumental in several important Giants ' victories is Lily of the valley 51 but finished fourth in NL MVP.... Agree that he is the best [ 54 ] Mays hit his year. Have been an All-Star at any position the all-black town of Fairfield, thirteen. To go all out, whether I played four innings or nine pennant!, he was fined $ 1,000 upon returning ; a sportswriter joked half the fine was leaving. My style was always to go all does willie mays have siblings, whether I played four or... You can grow up to be like willie Mays a sportswriter joked half the fine was for returning,. Percentage (.645 ) the fullback '' a sportswriter joked half the was... ] it was exactly the same feeling does willie mays have siblings celebrating his 90th ] the... He never drank, never smoked, watched his diet and rarely went clubbing he would merely. Nyone who played with him or against him would agree that he is the best Spahn off. Knee in a collision with catcher Randy Hundley on July29, forcing him to reach base often... The 1952 season with the Giants sportswriter joked half the fine was returning... `` [ Mays ] is number one, without a doubt s albums Shotgun. Mets ' General Manager in 1975, he had 36 home runs 244 ] teammate Felipe said!