If he's not the greatest baseball player ever, he's in the top-3. God broke the mold after making Willie Mays. A sad day and the end of an era.

The first professional baseball game I ever went to was his 3,000th hit.

The promotion was that you could use the ticket stubs from the 3,000 game and go to another game for free. Candlestick wasn’t very crowded back then.

The next day was a double header so dad loaded up the 5 kids in the station wagon and off we went again

That was a great deal for a Deputy Sheriff with 5 kids…

Say hey, Willie.

Rest in peace.

One of the first models I ever made as a kid with my dad, was of THE CATCH!

I had that model in my room until I moved out of the house, and I’m guessing that my folks still have it somewhere in the house (along with my baseball card ‘collection’ as it were).

RIP Mr. Mays.

Thanks for the memories & your example. Rest easy Say Hey Kid

quote:

If he's not the greatest baseball player ever, he's in the top-3. God broke the mold after making Willie Mays. A sad day and the end of an era.

Indeed, arguably the greatest all-around baseball player ever.
Condolances for his family, friends, and many fans.
Rest in peace Willie. Thank you for the memories.

I won’t argue with top three. That man did it all! I love how you can type “The catch” into a browser and there he is in game 1 of the ‘54 series making his iconic over the shoulder catch. Rest easy Willie and thank you for all the happiness you brought to the sport through some of the toughest adversity an athlete had to endure.

He should have been loudly honored by Major League Baseball before he died.

He’d have 1,000 HR If he didn’t have to play in the polo grounds with a 483 foot center field wall and allmoat 2 full seasons at age 20 to the army and a decade at candlestick before it was enclosed with that wind blowing in.
Definitely best right handed hitter and on the Mount Rushmore of baseball position players.
RIP Willie !

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ElToro,

Willie Mays was every kids baseball idol when I was a kid.
One of the GOATS for sure.
Sad to see him pass on.

Posted by a friend: "I was a little boy when the great Willie Mays was still playing baseball, back when kids admired athletes a lot more, and he was just about worshipped by everyone I knew. We had his cards, we read his biography, and he never let us down. I cherish the memories he gave a nation."

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Willie Mays was every kids baseball idol when I was a kid.
One of the GOATS for sure.
Sad to see him pass on.

He was certainly one of ours; I remember my friends and me practicing basket catches 'cause they were so cool, as was Willie, of course.

Someone once said that he could have made the hall of fame at any position, with the possible exceptions of pitcher or catcher.

I didn't know that he missed most of two seasons in the military. That brings to mind Ted Williams. So many great ballplayers, I am not qualified to pick the GOAT, but would never argue with someone who picked Willie Mays.