# RIP Willie Mays (1931-2024) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [June 19, 2024, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032 "2024-06-19T01:04:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/1 "2024-06-19T01:04:59Z")
Willie Mays, legendary Giants outfielder and 24-time All-Star, known as the “Say Hey Kid”, has passed away. > **[Willie Mays, baseball’s electrifying ‘Say Hey Kid,’ dies at 93](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3070070/2024/06/18/willie-mays-obituary-giants/)** > > Giants announce all-time great Willie Mays passed away peacefully on Tuesday afternoon ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/2 "2024-06-19T01:13:10Z")
The Giants and Cardinals are playing a game tomorrow in Alabama to honor the Negro Leagues. Willie was supposed to attend as a guest of honor but he released a statement just yesterday saying that he wouldn’t be able to attend. It will add a whole new layer to the game. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/3 "2024-06-19T01:18:39Z")
The greatest of all the Giants. Rest in Peace, Willie Mays. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/4 "2024-06-19T01:19:03Z")
People sometimes use the word “legend” too casually, but Willie mays was a true legend. R.I.P. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/5 "2024-06-19T01:20:28Z")
That’s really sad. He’s was such a great player. When he was with the NY Giants he would often play stickball with the local kids. He would have been a Yankee if George Weiss (the GM) wasn’t such a typical rascist. There would have been one season of Mays, Mantle and DiMaggio all playing the outfield together. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/6 "2024-06-19T01:24:18Z")
Just heard about this, and I’m saddened to say the least. Mays was well before my time but as a lifelong baseball fan all I can say is R.I.P. to a true legend. I think I’m going to go put on Ken Burns’ baseball documentary later this week in honor. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/7 "2024-06-19T01:30:50Z")
I started collecting cards when I was little, probably because my older brother did. I got May’s 1971 card and still have it somewhere. I was amazed by how small the print got for him and Banks. They both played so many years. Mays was my favorite non-Yankee. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/8 "2024-06-19T01:31:22Z")
The GOAT? Possibly. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/9 "2024-06-19T01:33:59Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > There would have been one season of Mays, Mantle and DiMaggio all playing the outfield together. - Yankee Stadium’s left field would have destroyed Mays’ HR totals. RIP to my favorite childhood player. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/10 "2024-06-19T01:38:54Z")
Better than Ruth? But I could support #2. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/11 "2024-06-19T01:39:54Z")
Not more important to be sure, but, hey, there’s an argument there, isn’t there? Mays played in a more advanced - and integrated - time. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/12 "2024-06-19T01:42:57Z")
He was an all-star 24 times. Twenty Four. He made The Catch in the 1954 World Series. 70 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/13 "2024-06-19T01:52:22Z")
That’s fair, legitimately in the conversation. Are there any other of the greats of the 50s still alive? Luis Aparicio is HOF but I never think of him inner circle great. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/14 "2024-06-19T02:00:18Z")
Koufax’s first season was 1955. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/15 "2024-06-19T02:02:18Z")
But he was a great of the 60s, not the 50s. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/16 "2024-06-19T02:02:20Z")
Here is a list of the oldest still living MLB players: > **[The Oldest Living Major League Baseball Players | Baseball Almanac](https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/Oldest_Living_Baseball_Players.php)** > > The 1,000 Oldest living Major League Baseball players, by Baseball Almanac. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/17 "2024-06-19T02:06:46Z")
I never saw him play, but living in SF and attending a lot of Giants games, he was just a part of everyone’s baseball experience. I can’t count how many times I met people at the Willie Mays statue outside the stadium before or after the game (along with about 1000 other people…we really needed some more landmarks). He was an amazing player, and just seemed like a genuinely great person. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/18 "2024-06-19T02:07:21Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > But he was a great of the 60s, not the 50s. - With Mays’ passing, he’s the last living HOF’er who started in the 50’s. ETA: besides Aparicio. 🤦‍♂️ [https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-fame/living-hall-of-famers](https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-fame/living-hall-of-famers) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/19 "2024-06-19T02:13:11Z")
Worth mentioning, Willie Mays has a Presidential Medal of Freedom. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032/20 "2024-06-19T02:13:37Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > hey, there’s an argument there, isn’t there? There absolutely is. He was the most complete ballplayer the MLB has ever seen, and he did it in an integrated league. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-willie-mays-1931-2024/1003032.md?page=2)