Willie Mays – The Say Hey Kid

by Kelly TerBest

When Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball in 1947, he opened the door for many African American young men to put their mark on the national pastime. One of those was a 20-year-old kid from Westfield, Alabama, who burst onto the scene as a rookie in 1951. He would go on to be known as one of the best baseball players to ever live – Willie Mays, the Say Hey Kid.

Mays came into the major leagues as a member of the New York Giants and brought a level of athleticism never seen before in baseball. He excelled at all facets of the game – hitting for average, hitting for power, running the bases, and fielding. He quickly became a household name, as he won the Rookie of the Year award that year sparked the Giants toward the pennant in classic come-from-behind fashion.

In the 1954 World Series, Mays made one of the most memorable defensive plays in baseball history. So memorable, is this play, it is often referred to as simply, “The Catch.”

It was a tight contest as the Cleveland Indians battled the Giants to a 2-2 tie in the 8th inning of Game 1. With two runners on base, Cleveland outfielder Vic Wertz crushed a deep drive that appeared to be over the head of Mays in centerfield. But the athletic and almost superhuman Mays sprinted toward the wall, and with his back to the ball, made an over-the-shoulder catch that television announcer Jack Brickhouse said “had to be an optical illusion to some people.”

The Giants went on to sweep the Indians and win the championship behind Mays’ famous catch.

When the cities San Francisco and Los Angeles lured the Giants and the Dodgers, respectively, from New York out west in 1958, Mays went to the city by the bay to continue his Hall of Fame career. A whole new crop of youngsters got to see the Say Hey Kid himself play for their home team. 

In 1961, Mays got to play in the All Star Game in font of his hometown fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. He played in a major league record 24 All Star games over his awe-inspiring career – a record that is likely to stand. It’s no wonder Ted Williams once said, “They invented the All Star Game for Willie Mays.”

Mays is often known for accomplishing unheard of baseball feats, like scoring all the way from first on a single. He is the only player to have both a three-triple game and a four-homer game, a testament to the excitement he brought to the field.

Mays went on to play for the Giants until he was traded to the Mets in the 1972 season. He retired in 1973 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979. Over his 22-year career, he clubbed 660 home runs, 3,283 hits, was league MVP twice and won 12 Gold Glove awards. Kids who grew up in the fifties and sixties got to idolize one of the most memorable sports heroes of all time, and player who helped cement baseball as the national pastime. 

Baseball great Joe DiMaggio said it best: “There has never been a perfect ball player. Willie Mays came closet to perfection.”


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