Source: Transcendental Graphics / Getty
Mays’ family, alongside the San Francisco Giants, announced late Tuesday evening that he died earlier that day in California.
“My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones,” his son Michael Mays
said in a statement. “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life’s blood.”
The Westfield, Alabama native got his professional baseball start in the Negro Leagues, playing for his home state’s Birmingham Black Barons. Known for being an elite base runner as a teenager he was already being recruited by the likes of the Boston Braves and
Brooklyn Dodgers.
He signed a contract with the New York Giants and immediately took the majors by storm. He was named NL Rookie of the Year and later helped lead the Giants to win the 1954 World Series. As he aged, his talent grew and he became known for base-stealing and led the league with a .659 slugging percentage.
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His legend grew when the team moved to the Bay Area, and his record-setting $104,000 contract in 1963 reflected it. He continued to rack up awards, such as being named to the All-Star team 24 times, winning 2 NL MVPs, and leading the NL in home runs for four seasons.
After nearly two decades with the San Francisco Giants, he played one season with the New York Mets before retiring. Still, he remained part of the organization as their hitting instructor.
His on-field victories led to him becoming a cultural icon and one of the few elite Black baseball players in the
MLB, becoming known as the “Say Hey Kid.”
As one of the greatest players to ever step on the mound, the MLB released a statement praising his contributions to the game.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, one of the most exciting all-around players in the history of our sport. Mays was a two-time MVP, 24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove Award winner, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” the MLB wrote on X.
See how fans are mourning the legend below.
