Willie Mays, the baseball legend who played center fielder for the New York and San Francisco Giants, has died. He was 93 years old.
The San Francisco Giants shared the news on their official X account (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday: “He leaves us with a lasting memory: to work hard and find joy in this great game and this extraordinary life. Say hey, Willie Mays. The best there ever was.”
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“My father died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones,” his son Michael Mays told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the unwavering love you showed him over the years. You were his lifeblood.”
Mays, known as “Say Hey Kid,” played 22 seasons in the major leagues from 1951 until his retirement in 1973. He made his MLB debut with the Giants in New York and moved with the team to San Francisco in 1958. He finished his career with the New York Mets in 1973.
Mays, who posted a career batting average of .301, finished the season with 660 home runs, 3,293 hits, 1,909 runs batted in and 2,068 runs batted in. He was a two-time MVP, 24-time All-Star and 12-time Gold Glove Award winner. (He was the oldest living Hall of Famer in baseball.)
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