RIP Willie Mays. Sad day.
brad31
Posts: 2,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
Mays was my dad’s favorite even though he was a Cubs fan. Not sure who the greatest living player is now. This one really makes me sad. 
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Watching the Cubs vs. Giants game and they just announced his passing. A very sad day for baseball.
Later, Paul.
Just saw the announcement. You said it. “This one really makes me sad”.
At the game. Haven’t announced it in the ballpark yet. I am assuming they will.
"Say Hey". You were one of the best. Condolences to family,friends, and fans.
This hurts...the Great Willie Mays.... I saw him at Connie Mack stadium in 1964...saw him up at bat...he looked so "dangerous" all the time like he could hit a home run, a double, a triple or a single and then steal second or make a great defensive play.....the Great Willie Mays...Rest in Peace!
RIP to a true baseball legend!!!
RIP
A buddy and me met Mr Mays as a children at a Card Show in Atlantic City back in 1989. I really had hoped he would reach 100.
Hope he's running the bases again wherever he is
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
My heart hurts now. Just finished his book "24" last week. I highly recommend it. What a great human being he was.
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
I read just last night that he wasn't going to be able to attend the game at Rickfield Park and I immediately thought that was a bad sign.
and a final end to a long gone era in Baseball....
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
The only great players with a rookie card from the 1950's that are still living are Sandy Koufax and Luis Aparicio. Wilbon mentioned Aparicio's 90th birthday a few weeks ago on Pardon the Interruption because he was a White Sox fan growing up although he is a little young to have seen him during his prime. We have already lost many of the 1960's rookie card stars like McCovey, Seaver. Morgan. Santo, Stargell. Perry, Bunning and Brock. Willie lived a long life and saw tremendous changes in America and set the stage for MLB players to make the huge salaries they are making now. And even helped all the other sport s athletes get their bag. Mays was the most electric athlete before Jordan, but didn't have his exposure because most of his games weren't on national TV like Jordan's
Bill Mazeroski is still alive (1957 Topps RC), as is Orlando Cepeda (1958 Topps).
Steve
Yaz, Marichal, Carlton, Perez, Palmer, Carew, Ryan, Bench and Reggie still kicking from the 1960s. And Rose…
Fun fact: He was the guy waiting on deck when Bobby Thompson hit that famous 1951 home run to win the pennant for the Giants!
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
Arguably the most complete player in baseball history: Batting, power, speed, defense
My favorite cards of his in my PC:
The baseball world lost one of the greatest! Rest in Peace!
R.I.P.
Baseball would be a far better sport if more players were like him.
Still sad this AM.
I saw Willie Mays play against the Reds at Crosley Field in Cincinnati in the late 1960s…an amazing , talented player!
Gold base bobblehead. Patent, Japan.. I think '62. I used to immulate him as a kid. One of the greats....
For all the times I listened to Vin Scully narrate the Giants vs. Dodgers rivalry, it was always apparent how much respect and admiration he had for Willie Mays, by far the best player on the field for the opposing team.
Gobble.
25th Anniversary Hartland statue and a Heritage box topper.
.
It's been a real shame seeing these MLB legends dropping off over the past few years. Here is a trio of OPC Mays cards:
RIP Willie.
People took a dump on him for his signing habits for saying things about him looking or acting miserable, but my question is does anyone believe the expectations were too high by others for what he was actually intended to do which was the paid gig to do autographs at those conventions?
On that note, I also heard things about him doing some vandalizing on people's things he was paid to sign???
I can't speak for a personal experience by him with regards to any of this.
https://peanuts.fandom.com/wiki/February_1966_comic_strips
https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1966/02/09
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
Willie was as cordial as could be when he signed my 16x20 photo of him (NY Giants) in the early 90's at a show held at the Meadowlands Hilton (NJ) which featured Negro League stars. That holds a prized spot on my wall along with Mickey and The Duke, Everything I have has been signed in person. He also (sorry, no pic right now) signed a store-bought Willie Mays model bat which brought that inimitable smile to his face when I shared with him that I used the bat in Little League. He personalized it "660 HR's" (he was #3 at the time after The Babe and Hammerin Hank.)
As far as "vandalizing", it wasn't him, but the knucklehead sitting next to him who was trying to rush everybody through (Willie was in no hurry) and grabbed the bat before he was finished signing it. It resulted in a smudge (I removed in with Goo Gone.)
On a side note - I have always thought that his signature looks like "Stev Mop" - LOL!