- In full:
- Willie Howard Mays
- Byname:
- the Say Hey Kid
- Born:
- May 6, 1931, Westfield, Alabama, U.S.
- Died:
- June 18, 2024, Palo Alto, California (aged 93)
- Awards And Honors:
- Presidential Medal of Freedom (2015)
- Baseball Hall of Fame (1979)
- Most Valuable Player (1965)
- Most Valuable Player (1954)
- World Series (1954)
- All-Star Game MVP (x2)
- Gold Glove (x12)
- two-time MVP
- Baseball Hall of Fame (inducted in 1979)
- Rookie of the Year Award
- 24x All-Star
- 1x batting champion
- 1 World Series championship
- Height/Weight:
- 5 ft 10 inches, 170 lb (178 cm, 77 kg)
- Batting Hand:
- right
- Throwing Hand:
- right
- Debut Date:
- May 25, 1951
- Last Game:
- September 9, 1973
- Jersey Number:
- 24 (1951-1972, New York Giants/San Francisco Giants)
- 14 (1951-1951, New York Giants)
- 24 (1972-1973, New York Mets)
- Position:
- centerfielder
- At Bats:
- 10,881
- Batting Average:
- 0.302
- Hits:
- 3,283
- Home Runs:
- 660
- On-Base Percentage:
- 0.384
- On-Base Plus Slugging:
- 0.941
- Runs:
- 2,062
- Runs Batted In:
- 1,903
- Slugging Percentage:
- 0.557
- Stolen Bases:
- 338
Willie Mays
News •
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Who was Willie Mays?
Willie Mays (1931-2024) was a celebrated American baseball player, often hailed as the game's best all-around player. He is among the all-time leaders in home runs, hits, runs scored, and runs batted in (RBI).
Mays played semiprofessional baseball at 16 and joined the Birmingham Black Barons in 1948. In 1951, after two seasons in the minor leagues, he joined the New York Giants and was named Rookie of the Year. His career stats include a .301 batting average, 660 home runs, and 3,293 hits. He won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves (1957–68), was a 20-time All-Star, and a two-time MVP (1954 and 1965). In 1954, he helped the New York Giants win the World Series. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.
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What position did Willie Mays play in baseball?
Willie Mays, considered one of baseball's all-time greatest players, played primarily as a centerfielder. Over his career, Mays also played in the infield, particularly at first base. He was known for his exceptional hitting, ranking high in home runs, hits, runs scored, and runs batted in (RBI). Beyond his hitting, Mays was celebrated for his defensive skills, earning 12 consecutive Gold Gloves (1957–68). He was an All-Star for 20 of his 22 seasons.
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Which Major League Baseball teams did Willie Mays play for?
Willie Mays played for the New York (later San Francisco) Giants from 1951 to midseason 1972. In 1954, he helped the Giants win the World Series. He was traded to the New York Mets midseason in 1972 and retired after the 1973 season. During his career, Mays had a batting average of .301, with 660 home runs and 3,293 hits. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.
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What are some of Willie Mays's most famous achievements in baseball?
Willie Mays (1931-2024) was a celebrated American baseball player, often regarded as the game's best all-around player.
Mays's achievements include:
* Ranks among the all-time leaders in home runs, hits, runs scored, and runs batted in (RBI).
* Helped the New York Giants win the World Series in 1954.
* Made a legendary over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series.
* Led the league in hitting (.345) and had 41 home runs in 1954.
* Led the league in home runs in 1955, 1962, and 1964–65.
* Won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves (1957–68).
* Was named an All-Star in 20 of his 22 seasons.
* Accumulated 3,283 hits, 660 home runs, and 1,903 runs batted in.
* Two-time MVP (1954 and 1965).
* 24-time All-Star.3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why is Willie Mays considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time?
Willie Mays is considered one of baseball's all-time greats due to his combination of hitting and fielding skills. He amassed 3,283 hits, 660 home runs, and 1,903 runs batted in, complemented by his defensive prowess in the outfield, earning him 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards (1957–68).
Mays' iconic over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series exemplifies his defensive skill. A 20-time All-Star and two-time MVP, he helped the New York Giants win the World Series in 1954. His talent and exuberant personality solidified his place in baseball history.
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How did Willie Mays influence the sport of baseball and other players after his career?
Willie Mays is considered one of baseball's greatest all-around players. His influence on the sport is significant, particularly regarding the integration of Black players into Major League Baseball.
Mays, along with players like Hank Aaron and Bob Gibson, showcased an aggressive style of play adopted from the Negro leagues, combining power hitting with daring base running. After retiring as a player, Mays became a part-time coach and did public relations work for the Mets. In 1986, he became a special assistant to the Giants.
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Willie Mays (born May 6, 1931, Westfield, Alabama, U.S.—died June 18, 2024, Palo Alto, California) was an American professional baseball player considered by many to be the greatest all-around player in the history of the game. Mays ranks among the all-time leaders in home runs, hits, runs scored, and runs batted in (RBI). In 1954 he helped the New York (later San Francisco) Giants win the World Series. In addition to his outstanding play, Mays was known for his exuberant personality.
Both Mays’s father and his grandfather had been baseball players. Willie Mays, who batted and fielded right-handed, played semiprofessional baseball when he was 16 years old and joined the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro National League in 1948, playing only on Sunday during the school year. The National League New York Giants paid the Barons for his contract when he graduated from Fairfield Industrial High School in 1950.
After two seasons in the minor leagues, Mays went to the Giants in 1951 and was named Rookie of the Year at the end of that season—one legendary in baseball. The Giants were far behind the Brooklyn Dodgers in the pennant race. With the great play of Mays and others, the Giants tied the Dodgers in the standings on the last day of the season, and a three-game play-off for the National League championship was won with a home run, known as “the shot heard ’round the world,” hit by the Giants’ Bobby Thomson.
Mays became known first for his spectacular leaping and diving catches before he established himself as a hitter. After a stint in the army (1952–54), he rejoined the Giants, and in 1954 he led the league in hitting (.345) and had 41 home runs. That year the team advanced to the World Series, and in game one against the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians), Mays made a legendary over-the-shoulder catch. The Giants won the series, 4–0. In 1966 his two-year contract with the Giants (who had moved to San Francisco in 1958) gave him the highest salary of any baseball player of that time.
- Batting average: .301
- Home runs: 660
- Hits: 3,293
- Runs batted in: 1,909
Mays was traded to the New York Mets midseason in 1972 and retired after the 1973 season. Late in his career he played in the infield, mainly at first base. His career home run total was 660 and his batting average .301. Mays had 3,293 hits during his career, which made him one of the small group of players with more than 3,000 career hits. He led the league in home runs in 1955, 1962, and 1964–65, won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves (1957–68), and was named an All-Star in 20 of his 22 seasons.
After retiring as a player, Mays was a part-time coach and did public relations work for the Mets. In 1979 Mays took a public relations job with a company that was involved in gambling concerns, with the result that he was banned from baseball-related activities just three months after being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. In 1985 the ban was lifted, and in 1986 Mays became a full-time special assistant to the Giants. His autobiography, Say Hey (1988), was written with Lou Sahadi. In 2015 Mays was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.