From the archives: Willie Mays, the "Say Hey Kid"

[@maryeliason1504]

Everyone loved him!

[@marytheresejacksonlutz2533]

What a decent man! And one of the greatest baseball players. Thank you for sharing this.

[@mostly_insane2291]

I was too young to remember his final playing years but based on all the footage I’ve seen of him, he was one of the greatest. “The Catch” amazes me every time I see it.

[@thomasgalvin4069]

RIP Willie Mays

[@timmclain5576]

What a true class act.

[@gregattanasio3185]

What a KIND, HUMBLE MAN...TX YOU WILLIE. YOU WILL.BE MISSED

[@clifftanton8385]

Baseball had a love affair with this man thats how legendary this man his the greatest player who has ever lived period

[@OmahaJames1013]

I loved him I spent time away from others at work today weeping about the loss felt shame but I don't care what others think

[@CeePeeDee7190]

There is no shame in loving one of the greatest ball players of all time, and an outstanding human being.

[@moonbear5061]

I wept too. He was truly one of a kind and will be missed!!

[@GrimeyGut]

No need for shame especially if he was a influential figure to you, its human.

[@Cletus_the_Elder]

He had grace, on and off the field.

[@cynthiastines8918]

RIP, SAY HEY KID

[@JackieDaytona1776]

To say he was a better person than he was a ballplayer...maybe that's true, but if so he must have been one of the best human beings to ever exist.

[@larrylow7452]

My hero now and when I was in junior high school 60 years ago😅

[@UncleSam-USofA]

A true legend and great human rip

[@lankytor6396]

I’m honored to have met him when I was eleven years old at candlestick 😊 he treated everyone so nice. A lot of baseball players were grumpy. Willie treated everyone like he knew us forever 😊

[@davidluckens3479]

Fresco Thompson of the Dodgers front office remarked ,"Willie Mays glove is where triples go to die"-Mays afield had to be seen,to be believed-Back in '54,"before ESPN highlights were even dreamed of,"The Catch" was shown over and over on TV,because it was so amazing,so truly magical-Folks in NYC who didn't even care about baseball were enthralled by that play -Rest in Power,Willie Mays.

[@Pittie21]

Say HEY

[@CharltonHarley]

the greatest 5 tool player in Baseball

[@vernelledouglas1801]

Baseball isn't that popular in the Southern Caribbean islands but I've heard Mr. Mays' name mentioned several times. This made me want to learn more.

[@micnak3574]

The closest thing to Willie Mays is Ken Griffey, Jr. They can both run, play defense in the center field, hit for average, and hit for power. RIP Willie.

[@kellykarcher7179]

Interesting to see the home plate umpire shake Willie's hand in that last clip of him hitting a homer. That's extremely unusual! I wonder if that homer was a milestone or just another trip around the bases?

[@paulazmudzinski9225]

I'd guess it was home run number 600. -mikenotpaula.

[@kellykarcher7179]

@@paulazmudzinski9225 Nope. Home Run #600 was in San Diego. Willie hit it over the LF wall. This homer looks like it was at Candlestick Park.

[@chriswalls5831]

My new idea statue or stadium named after him

[@Me97202]

Sorry. America only names its stadiums after corporations.

[@boomerang8909]

He reminds me of another Alabamian, Sir Charles Barkley, with that Southern accent.

[@melreslor2114]

Also from Alabama (Mobile) was Henry Aaron. Was almost teammates with Mays as the NY Giants offered Aaron a contract. Aaron says the Boston Braves offered $50 a month more so he took that. By the time Aaron made the majors the team moved to Milwaukee.

[@anynamez7048]

ITS A PARTY, COME EARLY

[@davanmani556]

At that point, the divorce really took a lot of his money.

[@charlenehastings4840]

If you play at another stadium, he would’ve had 800 Home runs. He played at windy candlestick I mean that place was impossible to try to hit a home run yet. He hit 660 in my opinion Willie Mays isn’t the top five of the greatest baseball players ever

[@charlenehastings4840]

I meant to say he’s in the top five not isn’t