Happy Willie Mays Day

[tony&rodney]

Hope you all have a fine 2/4/24. Willie Mays, the barometer by which every other player who ever plays centerfield is held. Willie is still alive, friendly, and speaking in his high octave voice.

[Parfigliano]

11 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Hope you all have a fine 2/4/24. Willie Mays, the barometer by which every other player who ever plays centerfield is held. Willie is still alive, friendly, and speaking in his high octave voice.

112 OPS+ as a New York Met.

[tony&rodney]

5 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

112 OPS+ as a New York Met.

119 OPS+ as a Boston Brave (Proves Babe Ruth was overrated right?)

Happy Willie Mays Day dude.

[terrydactyls]

In 1954, my parents took my two older brothers and I out of school and on a road trip to Texas, then Phoenix, and then home.  We were in Phoenix during spring training and we went to Cleveland vs. NY Giants game (a preview of the 1954 World Series).  My dad brought his new 8 millimeter Bell & Howell movie camera to the game and filmed some of it.  And he happened to catch an at bat of this young guy just returning from the Korean War named Willie Mays.  He wanted to catch him on film because he remembered Mays from his brief career with the Minneapolis Millers in 1951 (called up in May).  He got a single.  I watched that two-minute clip many times in my youth.  I sure wish I had that film now.

[JD-TWINS]

I was about 8 or 9 & the Giants were playing the Twins at The Met in a pre-season wrap up game (‘70-‘71 or so). Strange location at that time of year! Anyway, my Dad had watched Mays in Minneapolis well before I was born  and really respected/loved him as a ball player. He told me the day prior we were going to the game with my older brother. I said “no - I have other plans”. Not a great reply to a blue collar guy that had quit school in ‘35 to start doing man’s work at age 13. My brother (14 years older than me) sat me down & told me what a knucklehead I was being!

Next night we saw McCovey - Bonds - Mays……no real recollection of the game or result but I saw those guys on the field, suited up, live. A cool memory we shared.

 

[JD-TWINS]

3 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

I was about 8 or 9 & the Giants were playing the Twins at The Met in a pre-season wrap up game (‘70-‘71 or so). Strange location at that time of year! Anyway, my Dad had watched Mays in Minneapolis well before I was born  and really respected/loved him as a ball player. He told me the day prior we were going to the game with my older brother. I said “no - I have other plans”. Not a great reply to a blue collar guy that had quit school in ‘35 to start doing man’s work at age 13. My brother (14 years older than me) sat me down & told me what a knucklehead I was being!

Next night we saw McCovey - Bonds - Mays……no real recollection of the game or result but I saw those guys on the field, suited up, live. A cool memory we shared.

 

I looked it up out of curiosity & it was an odd “exhibition” game at the Met August 9, 1971. Makes more sense than March 30!!!

[Dave Borton]

3 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

I...And he happened to catch an at bat of this young guy just returning from the Korean War named Willie Mays.  He wanted to catch him on film because he remembered Mays from his brief career with the Minneapolis Millers in 1951 (called up in May).  He got a single.  I watched that two-minute clip many times in my youth.  I sure wish I had that film now.

Spring training, '73. Fresh out of the service after Vietnam, I headed over to park in Lauderdale where Yanks used to Spring train. Playing the Mets, so I was going to see the "Say Hey" kid with whom I grew up. Pumped.

Deep fly to right center, Mays turns around, gets on his horse...

and falls down.  He was 40-41 then. I went home a sad kid.

Say Hey, Willie, for all the thrills you provided to so many kids and people for whom you have paved the way!