Willie Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose talent made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, has passed away at 93. The announcement came from Mays’ family and the San Francisco Giants, revealing he died peacefully in the Bay Area on June 18.
Freckle-faced nine-year-old Terry Klindt of Lusk, Wyo., admiringly watches New York Giants’ Willie Mays tape a bat during a baseball spring training session in Phoenix, Ariz., Feb. 27, 1956. Willie Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, has died. He was 93. Mays’ family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced Tuesday night, June 18, 2024, he had died earlier in the afternoon in the Bay Area.(AP Photo/Harold Filan, File)
Mays, who started his professional career in the Negro Leagues in 1948 and was baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer, was inducted in his first year of eligibility in 1979.
Willie Mays (24) of the San Francisco Giants connects for his 600th lifetime home run, Sept. 23, 1969, in San Diego, Calif. Willie Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, has died. He was 93. Mays’ family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced Tuesday night, June 18, 2024, he had died earlier in the afternoon in the Bay Area. (AP Photo)
A superstar known for his joyous play and exceptional skills in hitting, fielding, and throwing, Mays left an indelible mark over his 23 major league seasons.
New York Giants center fielder Willie Mays leaps high to snare a ball near the outfield fence at the Giants’ Phoenix spring training base, Feb. 29, 1956. Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, has died. He was 93. Mays’ family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced Tuesday night, June 18, 2024, he had “passed away peacefully” Tuesday afternoon surrounded by loved ones. (AP Photo, File)
In 2015, Willie Mays was honored with the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
