Legendary Baseball Icon Willie Mays Passes Away at Age 93

Willie Mays has passed away. The baseball icon, one of the greatest players in MLB history, beloved for his skill and athletic grace, died Tuesday at the age of 93, his family announced in a joint statement with his former team, the San Francisco Giants. “My father passed away peacefully alongside his loved ones,” his son Michael Mays said in the statement.

Giants president Greg Johnson noted that Mays, the first black player to captain a North American Major League Baseball club, left a mark that extended far beyond his sport. “He had a profound influence not only on baseball, but on the fabric of America. He was an inspiration and a hero who will always be remembered and deeply missed,” he said. he greets. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred paid tribute to a star who inspired “generations of players and fans”.

Obama’s medal

Mays, affectionately known as “Say Hey Kid”, was born in Alabama in 1931 and first played baseball with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League in 1948. He was later recruited by the Giants, then based in New York in 1950, and made his debut in the 1951 season, during which he distinguished himself by hitting 20 home runs and winning the title of Rookie of the Year. .

Three years later, he helped the Giants win the World Series – the MLB finale – the franchise’s last title before it moved to San Francisco. Mays retired in 1973, finishing his career with the New York Mets, after playing with the Giants from 1951 to 1972. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979. In 2015, U.S. President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

2024-06-19 09:52:32
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