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Willie Mays

(Photo by Ffion Thomas ©)

Subject(s): Willie Mays
Sport: Baseball

Location: San Francisco Giants, AT&T Park, San Francisco, CA
Unveiled: 31/3/2000
Sculptor: William Behrends
Material: Bronze
Status: In Situ

Inscription(s):
Inscribed on plinth: Willie Howard Mays, Jr. Given in honour of Willie Mays and his fans, wherever they may be. Peter and Debby Magowan. March 31, 2000

Plaque 1: WILLIE HOWARD MAYS, JR. "THE SAY HEY KID". NEW YORK N.L., SAN FRANCISCO N.L., NEW YORK N.L. 1951-1973. ONE OF BASEBALL'S MOST COLORFUL AND EXCITING STARS. EXCELLED IN ALL PHASES OF THE GAME. THIRD IN HOMERS (660), RUNS (2,062) AND TOTAL BASES (6,066); SEVENTH IN HITS (3,283) AND RBI'S (1,903). FIRST IN PUTOUTS BY OUTFIELDER (7,095). FIRST TO TOP BOTH 300 HOMERS AND 300 STEALS. LED LEAGUE IN BATTING ONCE, SLUGGING FIVE TIMES, HOME RUNS AND STEALS FOUR SEASONS, VOTED N.L. MVP IN 1954 AND 1965. PLAYED IN 24 ALL-STAR GAMES - A RECORD. Reproduced from Hall of Fame plaque (Cooperstown, NY). Inducted in 1979.

Plaque 2: "All in all, I most enjoy watching him run bases. He strides, his spikes digging up great chunks of infield dirt; the cap flies off at second, he cuts the base like a racing car, looking back over his shoulder at the ball, and lopes grandly into third, and everyone who has watched him finds himmself laughing with excitement and shared delight." - Roger Angell, "The Summer Game". "The only person who could have caught that ball, hit it." - Bob Stevens, San Francisco Chronicle. "Mere numbers...cannot show the flying cap, the catch, the quick feet, the whirl and throw that are etched not in the record books but in precious memory. It is debatable if there ever has been a player with Mays' baseball instincts or, yes, intellect. The exquisite subtleties of his play only eventually became apparent to fans." - Sports Illustrated. "He should play in handcuffs to even things out a bit." - Jim Murray, Los Angeles Times. "Willie Mays and his glove: where triples go to die." - Fresco Thompson, L.A. Dodgers Executive. CAREER STATISTICS. AVG .302. G 2,992. AB 10,881. R 2,062. H 3,283. 2B 523. 3B 140. HRS 660. RBI 1,903. BB 1,464. SO 1,526. OBP .337. SLG .557. "If somebody came up and hit .450, stole 100 bases and performed a miracle in the field every day, I'd still look you in the eye and say Willie was better. He could do the five things you have to do to be a superstar: hit, hit with power, run, throw and field. And he had that other magic ingredient that turns a superstar into a super superstar. He lit up the room when he came in. He was a joy to be around." - Leo Durocher, Former Giants Manager. "Willie has two weaknesses - a pitch thrown behind his back and a fly ball twenty rows into the stands. - Leo Durocher, Former Giants Manager. "He was the most exuberant and exciting player of his generation, one of the most extraordinarily gifted ballplayers ever to step on a diamond. He could do everything and he could do it better than anyone else with a joyous grace". - Arthur Daley, New York Times.

Links: Sculptor


(Photo by Chris Stride ©)

(Photo by Chris Stride ©)

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