My #1 hero growing up.
RIP Say Hey
Sports hero -
Sooooo, Bill Walton, Jerry West and Willie Mays. Since these happen in threes, we should be good for a while. Good people.
Knew West was good, but wasn’t “a hero” of mine. Not a big Laker fan (just Wilt maybe).
Walton and Mays - top 5 for me.
I was in Southern California growing up and in little league, I was the only kid proficient at the basket catch. Saw Willie in a few games at Dodger Stadium and Candlestick.
He was maybe the greatest player of his era. Mantle and Aaron would be competitors. Mantle may rank a little higher than the other two at his peak but the other two had longer careers and didn’t have bad knees. I think Mays was a bit better than Aaron at his peak but Aaron had a slightly better overall career. All of those guys are gone now. Frank Robinson is gone, Bob Gibson is gone, Whitey Ford is gone, Al Kaline is gone, Roberto Clemente is gone. One of the few great players still alive, who started his career in the early to mid fifties is Sandy Koufax. Being a Dodger fan at the time Koufax was my favorite player.
Mays without question was the biggest crowd pleaser followed by Clemente in that regard.
As an all around player Mays may have been the best player of his generation.
People forget about his base stealing abilities. Over 300 in his career. Also, he served 2 years in the Army in 1952 to 1953. Ad another 80 homers and he would have 740 home runs. Aaron didn’t miss years for military service.
People often forget how good Koufax was. He was one pitcher Mays could not hit well. Marichal was right up their with Koufax. Those high kicks were great.
Mays had some issues that got to him during his career. But, he worked through them and didn’t quit. Didn’t drink or smoke, which my mother always pointed out to me.
I believe his biggest issue was that he associated with a gambling establishment post retirement. The MLB didn’t like the “look” of one of the greatest players being tied to gambling.
Mays took a largely ceremonial job with Bally’s Park Place Casino Hotel in 1979 while Mantle did the same for the Claridge Casino Hotel. MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn likened those jobs to gambling and banned them both from all big league activities.
Willie Mays was my hero growing, he played center field, I played center field. He did basket catches, I did basket catches.
My story with my hero,
I was around 12 years old, loved playing baseball which was a bit weird for my dad who was not into sports at all. My dad was a bartender for the Ambassdor Club in SLC,
One night a member was talking to my dad about baseball. My dad mentioned that I loved baseball. The guy asked my dad who my favorite player was, he told him “Willie somebody” (remember my dad is not into sports), The member asked him “Willie Mays”?, my dad said yes that is the one.
The member told my dad to bring me to the bar Saturday afternoon, he had something for him.
So saturday came around, my dad brought me to the bar to meet the member. As we are sitting there, in walked Willie Mays with the member of the club.
I got to meet my hero in person, got an autographed baseball too boot.
BTW, the members name? Was Herman Franks, Manager of the SF Giants at the time. He lived in Ogden during the off season.
That’s a great story. I remember Herman Franks. I was a Dodger fan in those days. Their manager, Walter Alston, was one of the all time
great managers. He never managed any other major league team. He managed the Dodgers from 1954 until he retired in the mid seventies. He never had more than a one year contract. Those were different times. He won with all
kinds of different teams. He adapted his managerial strategy to the talent he had and the ballparks the team played in. He had a personality a lot like Lavell Edwards. Not excitable and always surrounded with a coaching staff of top notch baseball men and he was highly respected by everybody in the game.
Which was stupid. Baseball stole a lot of money from them as well. Much like the nonsense with Pete Rose now. Heck, members in Vegas work for casinos. Mays should have gone into coaching.
In any event, he’s the GOAT of all around baseball player and did not drink or smoke. If you don’t want to do his temple work I’ll do it 