Willie Mays

Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays
The Say Hey Kid

Induction Information
Elected to Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers in 1979, Player
409 votes on 432 ballots 94.68%
Hall of Fame plaque for Willie Mays

Born: May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama

ML Debut: 5/25/1951
Primary Position: Center Fielder
Bats: R Throws: R Primary Uniform #: 24

Played For: Birmingham Black Barons (1948-1950), New York Giants (1951-1957), San Francisco Giants (1958-1972), New York Mets (1972-1973)
Primary Team: San Francisco Giants

Post-Season: 1951 World Series, 1954 World Series, 1962 World Series, 1971 NLCS, 1973 NLCS, 1973 World Series
Awards: All-Star (24): 1954-1973; National League Most Valuable Player 1954, 1965; Gold Glove (12): 1957-1968
Hitting

Bio | Video (Streaming Windows Media)
Willie Mays, the "Say Hey Kid," played with enthusiasm and exuberance while excelling in all phases of the game - hitting for average and power, fielding, throwing and baserunning. His staggering career statistics include 3,283 hits and 660 home runs. The Giants' superstar earned National League Rookie of the Year honors in 1951 and two MVP awards. He accumulated 12 Gold Gloves, played in a record-tying 24 All-Star games and participated in four World Series. His catch of Vic Wertz's deep fly in the '54 Series remains one of baseball's most memorable moments.

Quote
"They invented the All-Star game for Willie Mays."
— Ted Williams

Did You Know... that Willie Mays was the on-deck batter when Bobby Thomson hit his famous pennant-winning home run, "The Shot Heard 'Round the World," on October 3, 1951?

Hall of Fame Teammate: Juan Marichal

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