{"id":105786,"date":"2024-06-19T10:13:23","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T10:13:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/19\/willie-mays-possibly-the-greatest-baseball-player-of-all-time-dead-at-93\/"},"modified":"2024-06-19T10:13:23","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T10:13:23","slug":"willie-mays-possibly-the-greatest-baseball-player-of-all-time-dead-at-93","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/19\/willie-mays-possibly-the-greatest-baseball-player-of-all-time-dead-at-93\/","title":{"rendered":"Willie Mays, Possibly the Greatest Baseball Player of All-Time, Dead at 93"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The world of sports has lost a true legend.<\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday night, we learned that former San Francisco Giants superstar Willie Mays had passed away earlier that day \u201camong loved ones,\u201d according to his son.<\/p>\n<p>Mays was 93 years old.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-457803942-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-502312 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-457803942-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-457803942-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-457803942-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-457803942-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-457803942-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-457803942-1080x720.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-457803942-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">SAN FRANCISCO, CA \u2013 OCTOBER 24:  Hall of famer Willie Mays is seen on the field before the San Francisco Giants take on the Kansas City Royals during Game Three of the 2014 World Series at AT&amp;T Park on October 24, 2014 in San Francisco, California.  (Photo by Jamie Squire\/Getty Images)<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Jamie Squire\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life\u2019s blood,\u201d wrote Mays\u2019 son in the statement announcing this tragic piece of news.<\/p>\n<p>Known as \u201cThe Say Hey Kid\u201d for his positive attitude and the way he greeted others during his playing days, Mays played a total of 23 seasons.<\/p>\n<p>He finished his career with 660 home runs, which ranked second in history only to Babe Ruth at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Mays made 24 All-Star teams, won two NL MVP awards and earned 12 Gold Gloves. <\/p>\n<p>He now ranks sixth all time in home runs (660), seventh in runs scored (2,068), 12th in RBIs (1,909) and 13th in hits (3,293).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It is with great sadness that we announce that San Francisco Giants Legend and Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away peacefully this afternoon at the age of 93. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Qk4NySCFZQ\" target=\"_blank\">pic.twitter.com\/Qk4NySCFZQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SFGiants (@SFGiants) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SFGiants\/status\/1803229363770478912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">June 19, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cToday we have lost a true legend\u201d, said Giants Chairman Greg Johnson in a statement. \u201cIn the pantheon of baseball greats, Willie Mays\u2019 combination of tremendous talent, keen intellect, showmanship, and boundless joy set him apart. A 24-time All-Star, the Say Hey Kid is the ultimate Forever Giant.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe had a profound influence not only on the game of baseball, but on the fabric of America. He was an inspiration and a hero who will be forever remembered and deeply missed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mays led the National League in home runs and steals in four seasons and in slugging five times. He hit over .300 ten times and had a career average of .301.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, one of the most exciting all-around players in the history of our sport\u201d Major League Baseball said in a statement on Twitter.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C8YLsFMvPVi\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"\/>\n<p>Added Barry Bonds, the godson of Mays, via Instagram:<\/p>\n<p><em>I am beyond devastated and overcome with emotion. I have no words to describe what you mean to me- you helped shape me to be who I am today. Thank you for being my Godfather and always being there. Give my dad a hug for me. Rest in peace Willie, I love you forever.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, Mays made an over-the-shoulder running catch in centerfield that, still today, is simply known as \u201cThe Catch.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Partly as a result of this play, the World Series MVP Award was named in his honor in 2017.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-502313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-502313 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-498633416-scaled.jpg\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Barack Obama presents Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House November 24, 2015 in Washington, DC. <span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cHis incredible achievements and statistics do not begin to describe the awe that came with watching Willie Mays dominate the game in every way imaginable,\u201d Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in his statement. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will never forget this true Giant on and off the field. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Willie\u2019s family, his friends across our game, Giants fans everywhere, and his countless admirers across the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>May Willie Mays rest in peace.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/urls.grow.me\/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlaG9sbHl3b29kZ29zc2lwLmNvbS8yMDI0LzA2L3dpbGxpZS1tYXlzLXBvc3NpYmx5LXRoZS1ncmVhdGVzdC1iYXNlYmFsbC1wbGF5ZXItb2YtYWxsLXRpbWUtZGVhZC1hdC05My8=\/e\/*%7CEMAIL%7C*\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The world of sports has lost a true legend. On Tuesday night, we learned that former San Francisco Giants superstar Willie Mays had passed away earlier that day \u201camong loved ones,\u201d according to his son. Mays was 93 years old. SAN FRANCISCO, CA \u2013 OCTOBER 24: Hall of famer Willie Mays is seen on the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":105787,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-105786","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105786"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105786\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105787"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}