Sports
MLB Hall Of Famer Willie Mays Dies At 93
Willie Mays, who was a two-time MVP, 24-time All-Star, as well as a 12-time Gold Glove winner during his illustrious career in major league baseball, has died at the age of 93.
The announcement of Mays’ passing was made during a live broadcast of the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees game tonight on national television.
A cause of death has not yet been released.
Mays, just days ago, informed fans that he would not be able to attend a game being played at Rickwood Field. He said to fans in an open statement,
I wish I could come out to Rickwood Field this week to be with you all and enjoy that field with my friends. Rickwood’s been part of my life for all of my life. Since I was a kid. It was just ‘around the corner there’ from Fairfield [the town where Mays went to high school], and it felt like it had been there forever. Like a church. The first big thing I ever put my mind to was to play at Rickwood Field. It wasn’t a dream. It was something I was going to do. I was going to work hard to be one of the Birmingham Black Barons and play ball at Rickwood Field. That’s what I did. It was my start. My first job. You never forget that. Rickwood Field is where I played my first home game, and playing there was IT — everything I wanted. I’d like to be there, but I don’t move as well as I used to. So I’m going to watch from my home. But it will be good to see that. I’m glad that the Giants, Cardinals and MLB are doing this, letting everyone get to see pro ball at Rickwood Field. Good to remind people of all the great ball that has been played there, and all the players. All these years and it is still here. So am I. How about that?
Willie Mays
Mays spent most of his career with the San Francisco Giants, though he finished his career with the New York Mets in 1973. Mays would star for the Giants from 1951 until he was traded in 1972.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all-time, Mays hit for a .301 average over his 22-year career. He hit 660 home runs, and notched 1909 RBIs.
Major League Baseball posted an announcement of the baseball legend’s death on their X page, saying about the late Willie Mays,
We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, one of the most exciting all-around players in the history of our sport. Mays was a two-time MVP, 24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove Award winner, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In commemoration of “The Catch” as perhaps the most famous play in the history of the Fall Classic, the World Series MVP Award was named in his honor in 2017. Mays was 93 years old.
MLB on Twitter
See that post below,
We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, one of the most exciting all-around players in the history of our sport.
— MLB (@MLB) June 19, 2024
Mays was a two-time MVP, 24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove Award winner, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In… pic.twitter.com/kOqxNnetg7
Willie Mays will be remembered as a baseball legend for a long time to come. Rest in peace, legend!
