The story of baseball can’t be advised with out Willie Mays

When somebody who was bigger than life passes on from this life, you typically hear individuals say that it is “not possible to place into phrases” simply how vital that exact particular person was. While that is likely to be one hundred pc true in the case of the legendary Willie Mays, it’s additionally true that possibly phrases are one of the simplest ways to speak about The Say Hey Kid and his impression on the sport of baseball. Simply put, you’ll be able to’t inform the story of baseball with out speaking about Willie Mays — it’s not possible to overstate simply how a lot of an impression he had on the sport.

I might go on and on about his on-field exploits. If you’ve watched baseball on TV for, let’s say, the previous 70 years then there’s a close to one hundred pc likelihood that y’all have seen the astonishing over-the-shoulder catch that he made within the abyss that was deep middle discipline on the Polo Grounds in the course of the 1954 World Series one million instances now. Even now, watching him make that catch is rather like how commentator Jack Brickhouse describes it: It’s like an optical phantasm.

It’s additionally a kind of performs that solely will get extra spectacular the extra you watch baseball because it turns into clear that this isn’t the kind of factor that occurs typically — or in any respect, actually. Jim Edmonds made a completely unimaginable catch again in 1997 — a catch that was instantly in comparison with what Willie Mays had finished 43 years earlier and each catches are nonetheless firmly implanted in each baseball fan’s creativeness right here in 2024. What units Willie Mays aside from the remainder of the pack is that for those who ask him, that wasn’t even his finest catch.

Instead, he told Bob Costas on MLB Network back in 2010 that his precise finest catch occurred on April 11, 1970. That was when he took flight and robbed not solely Bobby Tolan of what would’ve at the very least been additional bases however he additionally robbed Bobby Bonds of creating the catch on his personal deserves. That’s as a result of Mays sped in direction of the place the ball was going to land, took flight and made just like the Jumpman emblem about 18 years earlier than the Jumpman emblem got here into existence with a purpose to rob the house run and preserve the Giants up 1-0 at that time within the sport. If the person himself says that this was the perfect catch that he ever made, then who’re we to argue with him? I’m not about to argue with Willie Mays!

The incontrovertible fact that Mays himself was one hundred pc sure that he was going to make that catch says every part in regards to the distinctive sort of ballplayer that Mays was — proper together with the truth that each he and Bonds stayed within the sport after Mays primarily knocked himself out whereas making the catch. Everything about that sequence of occasions exhibits simply how a lot Willie Mays liked baseball and the truth that we’re nonetheless speaking about it to at the present time is an instance of how the sport liked him again. It’s additionally wonderful to contemplate that he did this when he was 39 years previous!

The circus catch befell in the course of the season earlier than his age-40 season in 1971, which is when he proceeded hit .271/.425/.482 with a .406 wOBA, 18 house runs and a 157 wRC+ for the season. His 5.9 fWAR as a 40-year-old in 1971 continues to be the perfect single season by a participant 40-or-older in MLB historical past. Most baseball gamers might solely dream of manufacturing a six-win season at any level of their profession however Willie Mays was not like “most baseball gamers.” There was just one Say Hey Kid and Willie Mays completely left a singular mark on the sport of baseball like few different gamers might.

Photo by Charles Hoff/NY Daily News Archive through Getty Images

When I say that the story of baseball can’t be advised with out Willie Mays, I actually and really imply it. If you wish to discuss Barry Bonds and what he did to the report books, you’ll be able to’t go lengthy with out mentioning that Willie Mays was his godfather and served as a relentless supply of knowledge and inspiration for the longer term profession chief in house runs. If you wish to discuss Ken Griffey Jr., it’s not possible to take action with out ultimately citing how The Say Hey Kid influenced The Kid on each an expert and a private degree. Griffey and Bonds are two absolute titans of the game and as nice as they had been, they’ll even be the primary two individuals to say that Willie Mays was the perfect to ever do it within the sport of baseball.

The story of baseball additionally consists of Negro League baseball and Willie Mays will without end be part of that legacy as properly. Even although he’s solely credited with 13 video games performed in 1948 with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League, these 13 video games are actually formally thought of to be the start of Mays’ large league profession. It would’ve been extremely becoming to see Willie Mays in attendance for the large sport at Rickwood Field on Thursday. It’s the place the legend began his illustrious profession and it might’ve been an unimaginable second to see him get acknowledged on the newly-revitalized gem of a ballpark with the eyes of the baseball world set squarely upon Birmingham, Alabama.

Instead, the Rickwood sport will now absolutely be a tribute to not simply the entire Negro League baseball gamers from the previous however it can particularly function tribute to Willie Mays and the impression that he left on the game of baseball. While he wouldn’t have been able to make the trip had he held on for a bit longer, that doesn’t change the truth that he will probably be remembered just like the baseball royalty that he was. The recognition that he’ll obtain gained’t be sufficient, identical to the popularity that the baseball world gave him wasn’t sufficient even whereas he was nonetheless with us.

That’s not for lack of making an attempt — I’m positive that whatever is in store for the sport at Rickwood Field on Thursday will probably be spectacular and one good factor I can say in regards to the tradition of baseball is that Willie Mays positively bought his roses from the baseball neighborhood whereas he might nonetheless scent them. This sport really idolizes its legends and Willie Mays was handled as such even lengthy after he had retired. We’re speaking a couple of legend who was banned from baseball for life for merely taking up a job as a part-time greeter at a on line casino, solely to get reinstated (alongside Mickey Mantle) almost immediately as soon as Bowie Kuhn’s successor took the job. The new commissioner didn’t even make any modifications to the foundations or something like that — this was only a case of restoring the sensation. Baseball simply ain’t baseball with out guys like Mickey Mantle and particularly Willie Mays and that’s why they had been each reinstated.

Willie Mays lived to be 93 and it’s apparent that he made probably the most of each single one of many years that was blessed to dwell for. There are only a few baseball gamers who captured the creativeness like The Say Hey Kid did when he performed. He continued to dwell on as a legend lengthy after he completed enjoying and to say that his impression on the sport continues to be being felt to at the present time could be an entire and utter understatement. The sport misplaced a legend along with his passing however because the fictional model of Babe Ruth put it, “Legends by no means die.” As lengthy as baseball exists then Willie Mays will probably be remembered. If you don’t imagine me, then come again to this text in 2054 after they’re celebrating 100 years since that catch on the Polo Grounds after which we are able to chat once more.