With Black History month coming to an end here’s a tribute to the best African American Athlete to ever play the game.
Willie Mays was born during a time of hatred and violence. A time when African Americans had little to no rights in their lives and the dream of being equal under the eyes of God was only two years old. He lived in a time that has plagued the history of the United States. Surrounded by acts of violence and intimidation, he still fought his way to the spotlight and proved himself to be that best athlete that ever played baseball.
Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born in Westfield, Alabama on May 6, 1931. From the time that he was a child it was abundantly clear that Mays was destine to play baseball. He watched with great anticipation of the future to come as his father and his industrial league teammates practiced and played while he waited for his turn to shine. From the beginning of his life he had a fascination of the game and all of its qualities. He loved that fact that one person can’t win a game but a team effort was needed above everything else.
He started his career like the rest of the great black players of the time, participating in the Negro Leagues. His career began with the Chattanooga Choo-Choos in Tennessee and later the Birmingham Black Barons. It wasn’t long before the hype of his talent was picked up by the radar of major league scouts. The first team to see Mays was the Boston Braves who inevitably passed on him leaving the door wide open for the New York Giant’s. He was quickly signed and was sent straight to the Giants AA team in Trenton, New Jersey. He only spent one more year in the minor leagues before he made his Major League debut. During his first games for the Giants he had a stunning .000 average going 0 for 12 in his first twelve at bats. It wasn’t until Hall of Famer Warren Spahn faced off with him that his true talent was unveiled. He took Spahn deep to dead center field at the Polo Grounds, which measured over 430 feet; a massive home run by today’s standards, revealing his destiny for greatness.
He went on to win the rookie of the year over the likes of the great Mickey Mantle. His career continued to amaze, as Mays got better and better, becoming the first real five-tool athlete. He could hit for a high average, hit for power, run, field, and throw. By the end of his stunning career he played in 21 All- Star Games, winning two All-Star Game MVP awards. He proved himself to be the best player during his era, batting over .300 lifetime with 660 homeruns, and 3,283 hits, making him one of the first members of the 600 homerun and 3000 hit club. He did it in the field as well, winning 12 gold gloves defining his defensive greatness in center field. He only won the World Series once, but that’s more than most can say, to go along with his two Most Valuable Player of the year awards.
In the end, Willie Mays stands at the top of the greatness pyramid making it extremely easy to say that he is the best that ever played. He did it all: hitting, throwing and being one of the scariest guys on the base paths, stealing 338 bases during his 22 year career that was cut short by his tour in Korea because of which he missed over 250 games taking away half of the 1952 season and all of the 1953 season.
Willie Mays was more than a baseball player in his time; he was and icon of what was to come in America. He proved that there was more to life than what color a person’s skin was. He played hard, honoring the game and showing the world that all men are created equal, (except for on the baseball field where no man could match his talent and skills). Even Ted Williams admired him saying, “They invented the All-Star Game for Willie Mays.” He was and still is a great man who once said in an interview during his Hall of Fame induction speech when a journalist asked him who the best player he had ever seen was Mays answered with a slight grin on his face, “I don’t mean to be bashful, but I was.” And he was absolutely correct. So Willie Howard Mays Jr, I salute you as the best player of your decade, the best player of the century, and the best player the world has ever seen.
