Overview:
• Willie Mays is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, with a remarkable career spanning 24 years.
• He achieved numerous awards and accolades, demonstrating exceptional talent and longevity in the sport.
• Mays' impact was felt across the baseball world, leaving a lasting legacy as an iconic player.
It may be subjective, but you might be able to count 5-6 players that can steak a claim to legitimately being the greatest baseball player of all times. One person who will be on nearly every persons list is Willie Mays. The baseball world lost one of the greatest players ever to put on a baseball uniform last month.
In 2015 Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati held its first All-Star game after being in existence for 12 previous seasons. The four greatest living baseball players were honored at that game. Those players were Sandy Koufax, Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench and Willie Mays. It gave Cincinnatians a chance to honor a legend who time and time again did damage to the Reds. As a matter of fact, Mays would be a constant pain for Cincinnati. He would hit 76 home runs knocking in 225 runs while batting .276 against the Reds.
After playing a year in the Negro League with the Birmingham Black Barons, in 1948 destiny would call Mays to the major leagues. Mays would go on to spend nearly every year from 1951 to 1991 with the San Francisco/NY Giants. He would ultimately finish his career in New York with the Mets in 1972 and 73. The list of awards and accolades for Mays is nearly countless. The former Giant would appear in an unbelievable 24 All-Star games, 2 MVP awards, National League Rookie of the year, and receive 12 golden glove awards. Mays currently stands in sixth place all-time with 660 home runs to his credit.
There may never be another player with the all around talent and longevity as Willie Mays. By his final season in 1973 Mays was still able to give it one last crank. In 66 games the great would hit 6 home runs with 25 RBI’s and 44 hits. Unfortunately for Mays it would end in a 4 games to 3 loss to the Oakland A’s in the World Series.
Players nowadays are lucky to get 10 good years in. Mays played at a high level for an amazing 24 years with as many All Star games. You may never see that type of career again. He may have been on the other team when he played against the Reds, but the city got to witness greatness.Â