Something about the words 'Willie Mays" is just magical! None of the other stars of his era or since---I can't speak for before---ever rivaled his talent at every phase of the game and his charisma, almost mystique! I cried when I read the obits yesterday and I don't cry often. Great man and the greatest ballplayer!
Growing up in an American League place, the only time I ever saw him in person was at the 1965 All-Star Game, which probably had the greatest outfield ever to play in a game: Aaron, Mays, Clemente, with Frank Robinson on the bench! Being only 11, I don't remember the details of the game except that the NL won. They always did in those days because they simply had the better players.
If you haven't read Arnold Hano's A Day in the Bleachers, you are missing something special. It's a brilliantly narrated story of Hano's day at Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, from waking up and heading to the Polo Grounds hoping to get a bleacher seat through a thrillingly tense game to "the catch" right below him and Dusty Rhodes's winning homerun. It's about more than Willie, but the iconic catch in centerfield is a centerpiece and, to me, represents Willie's greatness as much as any single moment. He simply did things you didn't think were possible.
RIP.