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.
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A look back at Baseball legend Willie Mays' life, in photos.
1951: Willie Mays
Willie Mays, slugging outfielder for the Minneapolis American Association Baseball Club, gets his ticket in Omaha, Nebraska on May 24, 1951 before leaving by plane for New York to join the New York Giants. The Giants called up May who is hitting. 477 and announced he would play against Philadelphia at night. At the left is United Air Lines clerk Lloyd Miller.
1951: Willie Mays debuts with New York Giants
Willie Mays (center), 20-year-old centerfielder, meets New York Giant manager Leo Durocher (left) and President Horace Stoneham in the club's downtown office in New York on May 25, 1951. Mays, brought up from Minneapolis in the American Association, is slated to make his debut with the Giants against the Philadelphia Phillies in a night game on May 25 at Shibe Park, Philadelphia. Mays has a .477 batting average in the American Association.
1951: Willie Mays
New York Giants outfielder Willie Mays poses at the Polo Grounds in New York City on June 9, 1951.
1952: Willie Mays
Willie Mays, New York Giant centerfielder, signs autographs at an exhibition game in Oakland, California, March 21, 1952.
1952: Willie Mays inducted into U.S. Army
Pvt. Willie Mays, of the New York Giants' outfield, hands over a pair of spikes and holds a pair of Army boots after being sent to Camp Kilmer, N.J. for processing following his induction into the U.S. Army on May 28, 1952. (AP Photo)
1952: Willie Mays
Willie Mays, centerfielder for the New York Giants, is sworn in as a private at the U.S. Army induction center at 39 Whitehall Street in New York City on May 29, 1952.
1954: Willie Mays
New York Giants Willie Mays, outfielder in action batting practice-swing on June 24, 1954. (AP Photo/John Lent)
1954: Willie Mays, Duke Snider
Duke Snider, left, Brooklyn center fielder, congratulates Willie Mays, Giant center fielder, in the Giants dressing room in Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 20, 1954. Snider's congratulations were twofold; The Giants had just won the National League pennant with a 7 to 1 victory over Brooklyn and Mays had replaced Snider as the leading batter in the loop. Averages: Mays .344, .Snider 340. (AP Photo)
1954: Willie Mays makes miraculous World Series catch
Running at top speed with his back to the plate, New York Giants center fielder Willie Mays gets under a 450-foot blast off the bat of Cleveland first baseman Vic Wertz to pull the ball down in front of the bleachers wall in the eighth inning of the World Series opener at the Polo Grounds in New York on September 29, 1954. In making the miraculous catch with two runners on base, Willie came within a step of crashing into the wall. The Giants won 5-2. (AP Photo)
1954: Willie Mays
Willie Mays (24) playing winter baseball in Puerto Rico is besieged by young fans after a game, Nov. 23, 1954, Puerto Rico.
1955: Willie Mays
This is a 1955 file photo showing New York Giants baseball player Willie Mays. (AP Photo/File)
1955: Willie Mays
Substituting a cowboy hat for his baseball cap and winding up a lariat, New York Giants centerfielder Willie Mays looks at if he's aiming to rope in another good season as he takes a breather from practice at team's Phoenix, Arizona, training camp, March 10, 1955. (AP Photo/Harold Filan)
1955: Willie Mays
New York Giants' hustling centerfielder, Willie Mays, bears down as usual as he blows out a candle on a cake to celebrate his 24th birthday in the Polo Grounds club house after night game with the Pittsburgh Pirates in New York, May 6, 1955. Giants had little to celebrate, however, as Pittsburgh walked off with a 3-2 victory. Willie snapped out of a short batting slump by getting two hits, one a run-scoring double. (AP Photo/Matty Zimmerman)
1956: Willie Mays marries Marguerite Wendelle
Willie Mays, fleet-footed New York Giants' centerfielder, poses with his bride of a few hours at her home in East Elmhurst, New York, Feb. 14, 1956. The Bride, 27, is the former Marguerite Wendelle. They were wed in Elkton, Md., by the Rev. Rufus L. Bond, a Giant Fan. (AP Photo/JR)
1956: Willie Mays
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., in this Feb. 27, 1956, file photo. (AP Photo/Harold Filan, File)
1956: Willie Mays
Willie Mays, New York Giants centerfielder, takes up the task of autographing baseballs in the Giants dressing room after their game with Milwaukee was called because of rain in New York, Sept. 16, 1956. The game has been re-scheduled as a twi-night doubleheader on September 17. (AP Photo/John Lindsay)
1957: Willie Mays
Willie Mays of the Giants shows some gifts he received before the game from fans in Trenton, N.J., , where he used to play before they lost their franchise, Aug. 11, 1957. (AP Photo)
1959: Willie Mays
Willie Mays, outfielder for the San Francisco Giants, rests at home after he had 35 stitches taken in his leg, March 19, 1959. Mays split his leg open when he slid into home plate during an exhibition game between the Giants and Boston Red Son. (AP Photo/Harold Filan)
1963: Willie Mays, Casey Stengel
Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants, sitting on a bicycle and Casey Stengel, manager of the New York Mets, are seen in New York's Polo Grounds during a tribute to Mays on May 3, 1963. Mays, a long-time favorite of New York fans, played with the Giants when they were a New York team. (AP Photo)
1965: Willie Mays hits 500th home run
San Francisco, centerfielder, Willie Mays, as he hits his 500th homer of his Major League career crosses home plate and is congratulated by teammate Willie McCovey in Houston, Texas, Sept. 13, 1965. (AP Photo)
1966: Willie Mays hits NL-record 512th home run
San Francisco Giants centerfielder Willie Mays connects for his 512th home run off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Claude Osteen, hereby setting a new National League record, in the fifth inning of their game on May 4, 1966, in San Francisco, California. (AP Photo)
1957: Willie Mays
Willie Mays, San Francisco Giants center fielder whose bid for the purchase of a $37,500 home was turned down by the house owner, plays catch with 14-months-old Herbert Henderson at home of the tot's parents on Nov. 14, 1957 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ernest Bennett)
1961: Willie Mays
In this April 30, 1961, file photo, San Francisco Giants star outfielder, Willie Mays, proudly displays the four baseballs in the clubhouse representing the four homers which he hit against the Milwaukee Braves in Milwaukee. The four homers tied the record of four homers in a single game held by nine other major league players at the time. The Giants won 14-4. Willie's homers accounted for eight runs batted in.
1968: Willie Mays
Willie Mays, the San Francisco center fielder, licks his fingers after cutting his happy birthday cake given to him by Judge Roy Hofheinz just before the game with his Houston Astros, May 6, 1968, Houston, Tex. Mays celebrated his 37th birthday with a little work in centerfield. The 569-pound cake, one pound for each of Mays home runs, contains 3,800 eggs, 150 lbs butter, 150lbs sugar, 300 lbs flour, and 100 lbs of almonds. The cake is in the figure of 24, Mays uniform under. (AP Photo/Ed Kolenovsky)
1969: Willie Mays hits 600th home run
Willie Mays (24) of the San Francisco Giants connects for his 600th lifetime home run, Sept. 23, 1969, San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo)
1970: Willie Mays connects on 3,000th career hit
In this July 18, 1970, file photo, San Francisco Giants' Willie Mays connects with the 3,000th hit of his career, a single to left, in the second inning against the Montreal Expos at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Expos catcher John Bateman waits for pitch from teammate Mike Wegener. The umpire is Mel Steiner. (AP Photo/Robert H. Houston, File)
1972: Willie Mays
Willie Mays (in Giants uniform) at Spring Training in 1972, location unknown. (AP Photo)
1972: Willie Mays, Hank Aaron
Hank Aaron, right, exchanges a few words with New York Mets’ Willie Mays on June 2, 1972 before the Mets-Braves game at New York’s Shea Stadium. It was the first meeting of the two since Aaron tied Willie Mays’ record of 648 career home runs last week. Neither homered during the game, and both have a way to go before they match the 714 record set by George Herman “Babe” Ruth. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff)
1972: Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente
Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente, left, gets a hand from Mets' Willie Mays after he belted his 3,000th hit in Pittsburgh, Sept. 30, 1972. Clemente, by doing so, became one of 11 players in the history of the majors to hit that number or better. Mays is also a member of the 3,000 or better club. Pirates won the game, 5-0. (AP Photo/MB)
1973: Willie Mays
Willie Mays of the New York Mets on March 2, 1973. (AP Photo/Harry Harris)
1975: Willie Mays
Two living legends from New York sports history make their entrance from Shea Stadium’s centerfield area in New York, June 29, 1975 during the Mets Old Timers’ Day ceremonies. The numbers, of course, belong to Willie Mays (24), of the Giants and Mets, and Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio (5) of the Yankees. (AP Photo/Harris Harris)
1979: Willie Mays elected into baseball's Hall of Fame
Former star center fielder with the Giants in New York and San Francisco, Willie Mays, gestures before microphones in New York on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 1979, after being elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame. Mays received 409 of a possible 132 votes by 10-year members of the Baseball Writers Association of American, who participate in the annual balloting. (AP Photo/ Marty Lederhandler)
1979: Willie Mays
Baseball great Willie Mays and his wife, Mae sit together on bench of the “A” train in the IND subway of New York City on Thursday, August 2, 1979. The two, accompanied by newsmen and officials of the Colgate Women’s Games, took the subway to the site of the old Polo Grounds. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)
1979: Willie Mays inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame
Willie Mays holds his plaque as he waves to the crowd at induction ceremonies on Sunday, August 5, 1979 in Cooperstown, N.Y. where he became a member of the Hall of Fame. Mays played for the Giants and the Mets before retiring in 1973. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)
1983: Willie Mays's number retired by San Francisco Giants
Baseball great Willie Mays waves to a crowd as the San Francisco Giants officially retire uniform No. 24 during Willie Mays Day before the Giants game against the New York Mets at Candlestick Park in afternoon on Saturday, August 20, 1983 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
1983: Willie Mays
Willie Mays, the "Say Hey Kid," gets a worried look from Tony Torrance, 3, during a visit at Philadelphia's Children's Hospital on Monday, Nov. 28, 1983. On behalf of his Atlantic City casino employer, Mays presented four city hospitals with $2,500 cash and gave autographed baseballs to patients and staff. (AP Photo/George Widman)
1986: Willie Mays
Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Willie Mays pulls out his retired jersey at a press conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 1986, announcing his return to the San Francisco Giants as special assistant to the club's president. (AP Photo/Jeff Reinking)
1991: Willie Mays
Former Major League Baseball great Willie Mays, wearing a Denver Zephyr’s minor league baseball team uniform, is surrounded autograph seekers and photographers at Mile High Stadium where Mays and other former major league stars played an old timers game, Saturday, June 15, 1991, Denver, Colo. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)
1993: Willie Mays, James Earl Jones
Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays accepts a tributary award from actor James Earl Jones during taping of the “Baseball Relief: An All-Star Comedy Salute” on Saturday, Oct. 3, 1993 in Pasadena, California. (AP Photo/Mark J Terill)
2005: Willie Mays, Barry Bonds
Former San Francisco Giants player Willie Mays, front, laughs at a comment by slugger Barry Bonds, rear, following a team workout Thursday, March 3, 2005, at the Giants' spring training facility in Scottsdale, Ariz. Mays is Bonds' godfather. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
2006: Willie Mays, President George W. Bush, Laura Bush
President Bush, middle row right to left, National Baseball Hall of Fame member Willie Mays, and first lady Laura Bush, cheer during the White House Tee Ball Game on the South Lawn at the White House, Sunday, July 30, 2006, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
2006: Willie Mays
Willie Mays, right, uses his hand to chop through a large birthday cake presented in honor of his 75th birthday before the start of the San Francisco Giants baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, in this Friday, May 12, 2006, file photo. Giants' Jose Vizcaino, left, laughs and former Giant and current broadcaster Tito Fuentes, center, applauds.(AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
2007: Willie Mays
Baseball legend Willlie Mays is surrounded by children from the Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco as he celebrates his upcoming birthday before the start of a baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies in San Francisco, Friday, May 4, 2007. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
2007: Willie Mays
San Francisco Giants Hall of Famer Willie Mays, second from right, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, left, Giants President Peter Magowan, right, and Giants Executive Vice President Larry Baer, second from left, smile during a dedication of the Willie Mays Boys & Girls Club in San Francisco's Hunters Point area, Tuesday, July 10, 2007. Selig is in San Francisco for the All-Star Baseball Game. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
2007: Willie Mays
San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds, left, cries while making an emotional tribute to his late father Bobby Bonds, while standing with his godfather and Giants' Hall of Famer Willie Mays, right, after hitting his 756th career home run against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning of their baseball game at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Tuesday August 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
2008: Willie Mays
San Francisco Giants Hall of Famer Willie Mays waves to fans during a pre-game ceremony honoring the 1958 San Francisco Giants before a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in San Francisco, Monday, April 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
2009: Willie Mays, President Barack Obama
President Barack Obama, left, walks off Air Force One with Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays, Tuesday, July 14, 2009, after arriving at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
2011: Willie Mays
President Barack Obama and Major League Baseball hall of famer Willie Mays, hold up an autographed San Francisco Giants jersey presented to the president by San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, left, as he honored the 2010 World Series baseball champions during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, July 25, 2011. Others are General Manager Brian Sabean, right, and pitcher Brian Wilson, center, rear. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
2011: Willie Mays
FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2011, file photo, former Major League baseball player Willie Mays listens during his appearance at the San Francisco Giants' 2010 World Series trophy display tour event at the Arthur Tappan School P.S. 46 in Harlem, New York. Baseball announced on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, they have named its World Series Most Valuable Player award after Mays. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)
2014: Willie Mays
President Barack Obama welcomes the World Series champion San Francisco Giants baseball team, including Giants great Willie May, left, Thursday, June 4, 2015, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, where the president honored the 2014 World Series baseball champions. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
2015: Willie Mays receives Presidential Medal of Freedom
Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays, left, receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
2016: Willie Mays
Willie Mays smiles prior to a baseball game between the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco, in this Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, file photo. Willie Mays has won the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Baseball Digest. The Hall of Fame center fielder was honored Thursday, April 22, 2021, with a new accolade to be given annually recognizing a living individual who has made “significant contributions to the national game.” (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
2018: Willie Mays
Former San Francisco Giants players Willie Mays, Will Clark, Kirk Rueter, Juan Marichal and Willie McCovey, clockwise from left, acknowledge fans during a ceremony to retire Barry Bonds' jersey number before a baseball game between the Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates in San Francisco, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. (John G. Mabanglo/Pool Photo via AP)
2019: Willie Mays
Former San Francisco Giants player Willie Mays waves during a ceremony honoring Giants manager Bruce Bochy after a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)
2020: Willie Mays
Wildfire smoke darkens the sky over a statue of former baseball player Willie Mays outside Oracle Park before a baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
