When beginning to speak about Willie Mays, Keith Hernandez began to get choked up in the SNY booth during the New York Mets’ comeback victory over the Texas Rangers down in Arlington on Tuesday night.
The Mets’ franchise legend grew up in the San Francisco area a Giants fan where he idolized Mays — one of the greatest, most well-rounded, and dynamic players Major League Baseball has ever seen — who passed away peacefully amongst friends and family on Tuesday afternoon at the age of 93.
“He had that personality, it was infectious and genuine,” Hernandez said while fighting back tears. “I got to tell him that he was the greatest player I ever saw.”
Hernandez’s sentiment is one shared by many. Mays is still considered one of baseball’s premier five-tool players — a talent that possessed blinding speed, a prolific glove and arm in center field, and a bat that hit for average and power.
He was a Rookie of the Year, a two-time MVP, and a 24-time All-Star. He was a 12-time Gold Glove Award winner, a batting champion, and eventually, a Baseball Hall of Famer. His 660 home runs rank sixth all-time. His 3,293 hits rank 13th. He was the first player in MLB history to record 500 career home runs and 300 stolen bases — a club that consists of just three now in his godson, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez.
Mays is one of just seven players in MLB history with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. He is one of just three alongside Hank Aaron and Miguel Cabrera to be a member of the 3,000-hit, 500-home-run club while maintaining a career average of over .300. And he did so with the style, flair, and joy that earned him the nickname “The Say Hey Kid.”
“I always felt like a big kid playing this game and now we will miss one of the greatest kids to ever play,” former Mets and Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson said. “Willie Mays, your legacy and impact on the game will never be forgotten. Your passion, talent, and spirit will continue to inspire generations of players and fans. Thank you for all the unforgettable moments and the joy you brought to baseball. Rest in peace, legend.”
All of this was sparked in New York City, a place where Mays remained indelibly linked to even when the Giants were ripped from Coogan’s Bluff and jettisoned out west to San Francisco.
“NYC mourns one of the greatest to grace a baseball diamond,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams wrote. “Whether center field in Shea Stadium or stickball in Harlem, the ‘Say Hey Kid’ was an anchor of baseball’s golden age who never lost sight of his community while breaking the color barrier. Rest in peace, Willie Mays.”
The Birmingham, AL native called the Polo Grounds in Manhattan home for his first six big-league seasons. There he earned four All-Star nominations and had one of the finest seasons of his remarkable career in 1954, winning NL MVP by batting a league-leading .345 with a career-best 1.078 OPS along with 41 home runs and 110 RBI. That same season he won his lone World Series ring, leading the Giants to a sweep of the Cleveland Indians sparked by his unbelievable (use this word literally, in this instance) over-the-shoulder running robbery of Vic Wertz in the cavernous center field at the Polo Grounds.
He was one of the very best during baseball’s golden age, especially in New York, where residents were not just questioned about their baseball allegiances — did you support the Giants, Dodgers, or Yankees? — but who they thought the best center fielder in town was: Mays, Mickey Mantle, or Duke Snider?
Mays catapulted to superstardom despite spending two years in the military from 1952-1953, which was one of numerous factors that limited one of the more astounding personal statlines in MLB history which also included the ballparks he played in. Center field at the Polo Grounds was 483 feet away from home plate to make up for the 258-foot foul lines while Candlestick Park, his home in San Francisco for 15 years, was notorious for its blustering winds that blew in.
Perhaps an aspect of Mays’ legacy that was most important was that he received the proverbial torch from Jackie Robinson, the man who broke baseball’s color barrier across town in Brooklyn, to continue Black baseball excellence on New York’s MLB stage. Robinson retired from baseball in 1956, cementing a legacy that was carried on by the likes of Mays, Aaron, and Frank Robinson.
“There will never be another Willie Mays. You don’t play center field without thinking of Mr. Mays,” Yankees legend Bernie Williams said. “We should all celebrate and salute his legacy — he transcended baseball, served our country, and is a true American legend and icon.”
“You changed the game forever and inspired kids like me to chase our dream,” ex-Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia added. “Thank you for everything that you did on and off the field. Always in our hearts.”
In the twilight of his career, Mays’ desire to return to New York was fulfilled when Mets owner Joan Payson acquired him from the Giants during the 1972 season. With it came the promise that she would retire his No. 24 jersey when his playing days ended.
He hit just 14 of his 660 home runs in two seasons with the Mets before retiring, but his experience helped lead the club to the 1973 National League pennant, its second-ever World Series appearance, and Mays’ fourth and final time at the Fall Classic. His final hit in the majors came in Game 2 of that World Series — a go-ahead single in the top of the 12th inning to catapult the Mets to a victory to tie the series at one apiece against the Oakland Athletics.
While Mays made his way to Cooperstown later in the decade, Payson’s promise of his jersey retirement went unfulfilled after she passed away in 1975. It was not until 50 years later, before the Mets’ Old Timers’ Day on Aug. 27, 2022, that team owner Steve Cohen surprised everyone by sending No. 24 to the very top of Citi Field.
“Let me share how I feel today: The Mets retiring my number? Number 24? Man, that’s the best!” Mays, who was 91 at the time, said (he was unable to attend the festivities in Queens that day). “And how do I feel? Like I’ve hit a walk-off! I can never forget the way it felt to return to New York to play for all the loyal Mets fans. I’m tremendously proud I ended my career in Queens with the Mets during the ’73 World Series.
“It’s an honor to have my number retired in my two favorite cities – New York and San Francisco. New York was a magical place to play baseball.”
Both of the Mets’ iconic broadcasters, Gary Cohen and Howie Rose, were one of just a handful of people who knew that his jersey retirement would be happening that day — an event that is even more so appreciated now as the city and baseball world celebrates Mays’ life.
“It makes you really think about your childhood and makes me grateful that the Mets made the decision to fulfill the long-term promise to Willie to have his number retired by the Mets,” Cohen said during Tuesday night’s broadcast. “Twenty-four will hang from the rafters of Citi Feild forever.”
“When the Mets retired his number at Old Timers’ Day two years ago, it had been a well-kept secret. Maybe a dozen of us knew,” Rose, who emceed the ceremony two years ago, said. “When I made the announcement, I was close enough to the stands to see some people crying. That’s how much he meant.”
“Willie Mays was one of the greatest to ever play the game,” Cohen said. “Willie ended his Hall of Fame career in Queens and was a key piece to the 1973 NL championship team. Mays played with a style and grace like no one else. Alex and I were thrilled to honor a previous promise from Joan Payson to retire his iconic #24 as a member of the Mets in 2022. On behalf of our entire organization, we send our thoughts and prayers to Willie’s family and friends.”
