You Never Heard of Willie Mays? - Stories with Stan

As a kid that grew up playing baseball in the 90’s, I had never heard of Willie Mays. It wasn’t until I was in my teens when I discovered how amazing Willie was on and of the field! I remember seeing him as a teenager watching the braves play the Giants. The camera operator spotted him in the crowd and the announcers talked so highly of him it made me curious to find out more about “The Say Hey Kid”. I quickly learned how great of a man he was. My favorite thing I learned about him was how he’d play stickball in the streets with young kids. Can you imagine being a kid, and getting to play with one of baseball all-time greats! This lets me know that Willie knew the youth was our future and how important it is to invest in their lives.

Willie Mays was one of the all-time greats!

• 12 Gold Gloves

• 24 All-Star Games

• 4 World Series

This living legend made made his debut in the Major Leagues 4 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the league. He was only the 17th African American given the chance to play in Major League Baseball at that time and like the others before him, he didn’t disappoint. On the field he won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves, played in 24 All-Star Games and four World Series. His career batting average was .302, he smacked 3,283 hits, hammered 660 homeruns, tallied 1,903 Rbi’s, and stole 338 bases.

There was a lot of pressure for Willie and the other African Americans to perform. It was crucial for them to show the world that they were EQUALLY able to compete on baseball’s largest stage just like white player. Their accomplishments on the field paved the way for all the ones who came after them. The living legend will be 90 years old this May! Let us not forget about him and the others that paved the roads of justice and equality!