Former MLB Player Willie Mays Dies At Age of 93

(Information for this article came from Wikipedia)

Willie Mays Jr., one of Mayor League Baseball's all-time greats, died Tuesday at the age of 93.

Mays played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York/San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets.

He was born in Westfield, Alabama and joined the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League in 1948. He continued playing with them until the Giants signed him when he graduated from high school in 1950. His first year with the Giants he won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1951 as the Giants won their first pennant in 14 years. In 1954 he won the National League Most Valuable Player award as the Giants won the World Series before they made the move to California.

He went on to win another MVP Award in 1965 and led the Giants to the 1962 World Series, only to fall to the New York Yankees.

He was a 24-time All-Star. he led the National League in home runs four times and in slugging percentage five times. He batted over .300 and posted 100 RBI 10 times each. He led the league in stolen bases four times, triples three times and runs twice. He had 179 steals topping the major leagues. He was the first National League player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season, the first player in history tor 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. He won 12 consecutive Gold Glove awards.

His career was interrupted after the 1951 season when he was drafted to serve in the Korean War by the United States Army. Mays played with the Giants the first few weeks of the 1952 season. Mays missed around 266 games because of his military service. He was discharged March 1, 1954 and reported to the Giants' spring training camp the next day.

He would be part of 24 straight National League All-Star teams over 20 seasons.

He is probably best known for "The Catch', an over-the-shoulder running catch on a long drive off the bat of Vic Wertz. The catch prevented two Cleveland runners from scoring and preserved a tied game.

Mays died of heart failure at a care home in Palo Alto, California.

Rob Manfred, the commissioner of baseball, released the following statement after Mays' death was announced by the San Francisco Giants:

"All of Major League Baseball is in mourning today as we are gathered at the very ballpark where a career and a legacy like no other began. Willie Mays took his all-around brilliance from the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League to the historic Giants franchise. From coast to coast in New York and San Francisco, Willie inspired generations of players and fans as the game grew and truly earned its place as our National Pastime."