Willie Mays is arguably the finest-ever baseball player

By Arnie Leshin 

No doubt Willie Mays is arguably the finest-ever baseball player, but do these events from his elite past do him any good in this day and age. 

 

In any language, the best to ever lace on his spikes, hit the ball, catch the ball, run the bases, holds numerous records, and is worshiped by those who date back and saw him play.

 

To currently bring the great No. 24 up to date, he’s now 92, he’s been residing in San Francisco for years, being assisted at all hours from doctors, friends and family, and has been stone blind since his late 80.

 

That’s correct because I know that upon hearing from those who know, like a blind friend of mine who recently passed away and was quite close with Mays.

 

So, what’s new? Well, this announcement is. On June 29, 2004, the game, our National Pastime, will honor Mays and the Negro Leagues with a Negro League contest at Rickwood Field in Brimingham, Ala.

 

The 10,800 seat stadium opened in 1910 and is the oldest professional ballpark in the United States and an historic site where the Birmingham Black Barons played from 1920-1964. 

 

Mays played his first pro game there in 1948. Three later, he reported to the New York Giants then managed by Leo Durocher. He was batting .488 for the Minneapolis Triple A team owned by the Giants.

 

After 21 games and at age 19, he approached Durocher before a game at the ancient Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan, and in his quite manner said he’s no good here, to send in back to the minors. Durocher chuckled and said “Willie, you’re here, you’re my centerfielder now and ever, now take some more patience at the plate.”

 

The word is Willie shook his head, went to bat against southpaw Hall of Famer Warren Spahn then with the Boston Braves, and sent the first pitch into the upper deck. The lower deck was an easy hit, the upper wasn’t, for it usually contained twisting winds.

 

After the game, Spahn was asked if he threw an easy pitch to Mays and he laughed and answered: “No way, I threw him a tough curveball that he reached it and sent it back, back and away, and you’ll see many more from him.” 

 

Now the question is, will Mays be able to fly coast to coast to be there? The last time he was seen waving to his fans was at Candlestick Park, the initial home of the Giants when they relocated from New York. He was in a cart and coming through the open gates in centerfield with a franchise executive directing him.

 

Yes, his sight was bad then. My friend, Ed Lucas who hailed from New Jersey and had been blind since 1951 when Mays came aboard with his former team, the Giants. Lucas always gave me reports on Willie, and he himself passed away in 2019. 

 

“Yes, Lucas said around that time,” Willie’s sight is no longer, but he doesn’t spread the world.”

 

Mays had played a short time with the New York Mets when the then-current owners there worked a deal to bring him back to New York. He made it there, played a short time in late 1990 and in 1981 the World Series against the Oakland A’s.

 

Short time, but hardly forgotten, for on the Mets’ Old Timers Day, he was mentioned first before a huge throng at Citi Field, who then roared as No. 24 was lifted to the rafters. 

It was a super day for the Mets, but most of the talk was about Willie being announced. A report came from him in San Francisco, it was read and announced on the huge outfield scoreboard, and it was a happy day for all. 

 

Well, it was neat having him appear at Candlestick, it was nice to have him placed high on the rafters, but this time, I don’t believe he can handle it. In 1951, he was named Rookie of the Year, in 1954 he was Most Valuable Players after the Giants sweep the Cleveland Indians in four games.

 

He was a 24-time All-Star, tied with the late Stan Musial and Hank Aaron for second-most appearances. In 1965, he was the National League MVP and batting champion in the majors. 

 

MLB will work for the city of Brimingham and Friends of Rickwood to renovate the home of the minor league Barons from 1940-61, 1964-65, and 1981-87. The Barons have played about three miles away, and we can shift one game annually to Rickwood in a tribute to the team’s history. 

 

Mays said in a statement. “I can’t believe it. I never thought I would be able to be a part of this, and with a baseball game on the very field where I played baseball as a teenager. it’s been some 75 years since I played for Birmingham.” 

 

That’s nice to hear from you, but I’m not sure you can make the trip to this event. It’s also nice that you’re never forgotten. Oh, that racing and catching the historic 1954 catch of a soaring shot by Cleveland’s Vic Wertz headed for the bleacher steps at the Polo Grounds in the World Series.

 

But he would have also referred to the one made in Candlestick Park in 1962. With Jeus Alou and Matao Alou in left and field, respectively, Mays chased a liner to right-center that Mateo couldn’t get to, and crashed into the fence, toppled over it, and got up and showed the glove with the ball as the Alou brothers stood and cheered him. 

 

Soon after, he took one game off so that dad Felip Alou could play in the starting outfield. Mateo played in centerfield and Felip in left. Nice gesture and the fans loved it. Mays said afterwards, so did he. 

Say Hey to the great one, you deserve every credit bestowed apart you. 

Otherwise, it’s a nice event. MLB said that it is staging the game around the Juneteenth holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Texas in 1865.