Baseball Great Willie Mays Passes Away at 93

Baseball legend Willie Mays passed away on Tuesday afternoon at the age of 93, the San Francisco Giants announced. His son said in a statement eMayspassed away peacefully among loved ones.

Mays, widely regarded as one of the best baseball players ever (and you could easily argue the best), played in over 3,000 games across 23 seasons—starting on the Birmingham Black Barrons in 1948, with the Giants organization for his next 21 and a half professional seasons, then the Mets for his final playing days.

“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,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.

The numbers and accomplishments the Say Hey Kid amassed are incomparable:

• 660 home runs
• 1,901 RBIs
• .301 career average
• .940 career OPS
• 20 consecutive All-Star appearances from 1954 to 1973
• 14 Top-6 MVP finishes, and two MVPs
• 1954 Rookie of the Year

And that just scratches the surface.

Mays’ days as a Met fulfilled former owner Joan Payson’s dream of bringing the legend back to New York, where he started his MLB career before the Giants moved to San Francisco. He was traded to the team in the middle of the 1972 season, playing regularly until the end of 1973, when he told the team he’d officially be retiring at the end of the season. Mays then held various coaching roles within the Mets organization over the next half decade.

Payson promised Mays’ No. 24 would be retired when the team traded for him, and current Mets owner Steve Cohen fulfilled that promise in 2022.

“Willie Mays was one of the greatest to ever play the game,” Cohen said. “Willie ended his Hall of Fame career in Queens and was a key piece to the 1973 NL championship team. Mays played with a style and grace like no one else. Alex and I were thrilled to honor a previous promise from Joan Payson to retire his iconic #24 as a member of the Mets in 2022.

“On behalf of our entire organization, we send our thoughts and prayers to Willie’s family and friends.”

Mays’ death comes as MLB is scheduled to play its first ever game at Rickwood Field, home of the Black Barrons. Mays said in a statement earlier in the week that his first dream was to play at Rickwood Field.

We’ll have more coverage of Mays and his impact on the Mets—and baseball—over the coming days. RIP.

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