Willie Mays, the second greatest player in Major's history
The player, who was named as the second best player in the 100 greatest baseball players list assembled by Sporting News in 1999, was Willie Mays. The hitter, who snatched the 475-foot drive with his bare hands with Pittsburg, played for 22 years in the
game.
Willie Mays, popularly known as ‘The Say Hey Kid’, was born on May 6, 1931 in Westfield, Alabama. William Howard Willie Mays Jr. was the offspring of athletic parents. His father was a baseball player in all-blacks of the segregated south, while his mother
was a sprinter in her school team.
It is said that his father was so passionate to make him a baseball player that Senior Mays began teaching Willie to catch the ball even before he could walk. The appreciation of his father led Willie to believe in himself and join baseball as career.
Willie started his journey with Birmingham Black Barons in 1948, but just after two years, the day he graduated, he was hired by New York Giants. Willie was a 20-year-old lad when he appeared in his first game for New York Giants against Philadelphia Phillies
at Shine Park on May 25, 1951. Though Mays could not make a mark in this match, yet New York won this match.
Mays, was hitless in his first 12 games, until he opened his hitting career with a homer hammered over the roof. Willie took another 13 at-bats to score his second major League hitting of the season. But this time he was confident enough to hit another 19
home runs in the same season. This performance made him the most important player of the team.
In 1951, everyone was surprised to see the right-handed batsman in the list of Rookie of the player list. The .274 average with 68 RBI and only 20 home runs in 121 games was the lowest of his career and still he managed to win the Rookie of the year award
in 1951.
Willie also served the Army for nearly two years in 1952-54. The Giants were unable to win the pennant during his two year's absence. After his return in the Giants in 1954, New Yorkers started their winning track. Mays stunning over-the-head catch made
him the most talk-about player. New York won the World Series match against Cleveland Indians.
In 1966, with a contract between William and Giants, Mays became the highest-paid player of that time. ‘The Say Hey Kid’ was traded only once in his career, when San Francisco Giants (former New York Giants) traded him to New York Mets for Charlie Williams
in 1972.
In his 22 years professional life from 1951 to 1973, Mays put many records on the table. His 7,095 put-outs is the all time best record for out-fielder. He managed to score 660 home runs with .302 averages and also made 1,903 RBIs. He also holds the record
of scoring more than 100 runs in 8 consecutive years.
Mays have won the Gold Glove Award for 12 times. He was also in the nominations of the most valued Players in 1954 (won) and 1965. Williams Mays was the second player in the history of baseball to appear 24 times in All-star Game. He has been named second
in the Sporting News’ all time greatest players of the baseball. He was also a part of the Major league Baseball All-century Team. He was also elected to the baseball hall of fame in 1979.
Mays, is the only player to hit a homer in every inning from first to 16th
After a successful career, from 1951 to 1973, Willie Mays retired on 09 September 1973. He appeared in his last game for New York Mets against Oakland Athletics, which the latter won by seven games.
No doubt the Mays was the best ever player in the history of baseball.
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