Willie Mays

Willie Howard Mays Jr. — the Say Hey Kid — played baseball with a joy and brilliance that transcended statistics, though his numbers were staggering: 660 home runs, 3,283 hits, 338 stolen bases, and a defensive prowess in center field that produced "The Catch" — the over-the-shoulder grab in the 1954 World Series that remains the most famous play in baseball history.

Born in Westfield, Alabama, in 1931, Mays grew up playing in the industrial leagues around Birmingham before joining the Negro League's Birmingham Black Barons at 17. The New York Giants signed him in 1950, and within two years he was the National League Rookie of the Year. His combination of power, speed, defense, and baseball instinct was unlike anything the sport had ever seen — he was the prototype for the modern five-tool player.

Mays played 22 seasons in the major leagues, was named to 24 All-Star teams, and won two MVP awards. But his impact went beyond baseball. He was one of the first Black superstars to be embraced by mainstream America, opening doors while carrying the weight of representation with characteristic grace. He joined the ancestors on June 18, 2024, at 93, and baseball paused to honor the greatest all-around player the game has ever known.