Willie Mays, renowned for his incredible power, exceptional speed, and dazzling defense that captivated fans across the nation during baseball’s golden age, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 93, the San Francisco Giants announced.
“We are deeply saddened to share that San Francisco Giants Legend and Hall of Famer Willie Mays died peacefully this afternoon at the age of 93,” the Giants stated.
Known as the “Say Hey Kid” for his exuberance and habit of greeting everyone with “Say hey,” Mays played for 22 major league seasons. He began his career with the New York Giants in 1951, became a key player when the team relocated to San Francisco, and concluded his career with the Mets in New York in 1973.
Mays was the epitome of a “five-tool” player, excelling in hitting for average, hitting for power, base running, fielding, and throwing. He finished his career with a .301 batting average, 660 home runs (sixth most all-time), 3,293 hits (12th most), 1,909 RBIs (11th most), and 2,068 runs scored (seventh most).
