CHICAGO — The man deemed by many to be the greatest baseball player to have ever lived, a player more deeply ingrained in San Francisco Giants history than any other, died Tuesday at the age 93, days before his formative club was set to honor him in his hometown.
Willie Mays is dead. He passed away peacefully, according to the Giants, who announced the news in the fifth inning of their game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, where Mays played more games than any setting besides Candlestick Park and the Polo Grounds.
“My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones,” said his son, Michael Mays, in a release from the club. “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life’s blood.”
[ READ MORE: Bob Melvin, Bruce Bochy share their favorite Willie Mays memories ]
Mays, who followed the Giants from New York to San Francisco and played 21 of his 23 major-league seasons for the organization, was inducted into the Hall of Fame the first time he appeared on the ballot in 1979 and has since kept strong ties to the organization, making frequent visits to spring training, Candlestick Park and Oracle Park.
“Today we have lost a true legend,” Giants Chairman Greg Johnson said in a statement. “In the pantheon of baseball greats, Willie Mays’ combination of tremendous talent, keen intellect, showmanship, and boundless joy set him apart. A 24-time All-Star, the Say Hey Kid is the ultimate Forever Giant. He had a profound influence not only on the game of baseball, but on the fabric of America. He was an inspiration and a hero who will be forever remembered and deeply missed.”
Born in Westfield, Alabama, Mays made his professional debut at 16 years old in 1948 for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League, where he played for three seasons before the Giants purchased his contract in 1950. He went on to win Rookie of the Year in 1951 and Most Valuable Player in 1954 and 1965.
[ READ MORE: Mays forever a Giant, but his roots were in Birmingham ]
Citing his health, Mays said earlier this week that he wasn’t going to be able to make it to Birmingham for the Giants’ game at Rickwood Field but that “Rickwood’s been part of my life for all my life. Since I was a kid.
“It was just ‘around the corner there’ from Fairfield (where Mays grew up), and it felt like it had been there forever. Like a church. The first big thing I ever put my mind to was to play at Rickwood Field. It wasn’t a dream. It was something I was going to do. …
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“I’m glad that the Giants, Cardinals and MLB are doing this, letting everyone see pro ball at Rickwood Field. Good to remind people of all the great ball that has been played there, and all the players. All these years and it is still here. So am I. How about that?”
Mays’ 660 home runs ranked third all-time until 2003 when his godson, Barry Bonds, passed him.
Perhaps no one play in the pantheon of baseball is as iconic as Mays’ over-the-shoulder bucket catch in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series.
His power swing, tremendous defense and exuberance for the game inspired countless young fans, including Giants manager and Bay Area native Bob Melvin.
“He probably inspired me to play baseball and like it as much as I did,” Melvin said this week. “I was a huge Willie Mays fan.”
“I fell in love with baseball because of Willie, plain and simple,” added Giants President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Baer in a statement. “My childhood was defined by going to Candlestick with my dad, watching Willie patrol centerfield with grace and the ultimate athleticism. Over the past 30 years, working with Willie and seeing firsthand his zest for life and unbridled passion for giving to young players and kids, has been one of the joys of my life.”
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.