Baseball legend Willie Mays passed away at the age of 93
19 june 2024 в 17:13
Willie Mays will always be known as one of the greatest baseball players. Known as the «Say Hey Kid» in MLB, the late San Francisco Giants player passed away at the age of 93 in June 2024. The team confirmed the news of his death in a statement posted on social media.
«With great sadness, we announce that San Francisco Giants legend and Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away peacefully today at the age of 93», - the Giants tweeted on June 18.
Former President Barack Obama, who awarded Mays the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015, also honored the memory of the late baseball player.
«Willie Mays was not only a unique athlete, endowed with an unparalleled combination of grace, skill, and power», - Obama wrote in a tweet. «He was also wonderfully warm and generous person — and an inspiration to a whole generation. I was lucky to spend time with him over many years, and Michelle and I express our deepest condolences to his family».
Learn more about Mays, his life, and career below.
From 1951 to 1972, Mays played for the Giants, originally known as the New York Giants before moving to San Francisco. A native of Alabama, he spent most of his outstanding career as a center fielder.
Leaving the Giants in 1972, Mays played for the New York Mets from 1972 to 1973.
In the first game of the 1954 World Series, Mays made what is considered the most iconic catch — known as «The Catch» — in baseball history. In the eighth inning, Mays made a catch over his shoulder in the outfield, then instantly threw the ball back to the infield to prevent a Cleveland score. After extra innings, the Giants won the game.
Although Willie — a popular nickname and abbreviation for William, Mays' actual name was, in fact, Willie. Throughout his baseball career, Mays was nicknamed the «Say Hey Kid».
In 1956, Mays married Margherite Wendell Chapman, and the former couple adopted a son named Michael. Mays and Chapman divorced in 1963.
Less than ten years later, Mays married his second wife Mae Louise Allen. In 1997, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and she passed away in 2013
«With great sadness, we announce that San Francisco Giants legend and Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away peacefully today at the age of 93», - the Giants tweeted on June 18.
Former President Barack Obama, who awarded Mays the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015, also honored the memory of the late baseball player.
«Willie Mays was not only a unique athlete, endowed with an unparalleled combination of grace, skill, and power», - Obama wrote in a tweet. «He was also wonderfully warm and generous person — and an inspiration to a whole generation. I was lucky to spend time with him over many years, and Michelle and I express our deepest condolences to his family».
Learn more about Mays, his life, and career below.
From 1951 to 1972, Mays played for the Giants, originally known as the New York Giants before moving to San Francisco. A native of Alabama, he spent most of his outstanding career as a center fielder.
Leaving the Giants in 1972, Mays played for the New York Mets from 1972 to 1973.
In the first game of the 1954 World Series, Mays made what is considered the most iconic catch — known as «The Catch» — in baseball history. In the eighth inning, Mays made a catch over his shoulder in the outfield, then instantly threw the ball back to the infield to prevent a Cleveland score. After extra innings, the Giants won the game.
Although Willie — a popular nickname and abbreviation for William, Mays' actual name was, in fact, Willie. Throughout his baseball career, Mays was nicknamed the «Say Hey Kid».
In 1956, Mays married Margherite Wendell Chapman, and the former couple adopted a son named Michael. Mays and Chapman divorced in 1963.
Less than ten years later, Mays married his second wife Mae Louise Allen. In 1997, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and she passed away in 2013
© Kolganov Andrey
