Hall of Fame baseball announcers talk about Willie Mays

From Ball Talk: Baseball's Voices of Summer, now available on DVD from Producer Kevin Bender at [e-mail]

[@glenjo0]

I still have my Wilson Willie Mays glove I used in Babe Ruth and high school (and it still works great!) I was raised in the Bay Area and the 60's SF Giants were my team. Thank you Say Hey kid!

[@xxlionroarxxxxxxxx4438]

Willy Mays was and still is the greatest baseball player EVER !!

[@144Donn]

They want to make Baseball more exciting. To do so they have moved the walls in and as a result you get HR after HR or K...NOT very exciting! ..And, how long is the excitement for a HR, about 2 seconds? MOVE THE WALLS BACK! You will see amazing catches never even imagined! You will get a lot more triples and inside the park HR's VERY exciting and the excitement and tension build as the ball gets closer and the runner is coming home! Keep the ball in the yard by moving the walls back and bring unimaginable excitement to the game! You'd never have Willie's catch in today's stadiums..

[@timrobinson7373]

Would have loved to have seen Willie in his prime what a ballplayer I missed seeing

[@leithdunick7586]

Rest in peace, Willie. Greatest player ever.

[@1950Grendel]

My dad bought a TV set in 1952 (what a luxury) specifically to watch the Boston Celtics and Willie. All around, no one could touch him.

[@tommcconville4270]

As I've posted before, Willie Mays was the first real five tool player of all time. Ty Cobb, Joe Di Maggio, Mickey Mantle were very close but it was Willie that could do all five. That is hit for high average, including power with home runs, then driving in and scoring runs. Than run the bases exceedingly well, going first to third very swiftly. Then stealing bases easily, without having to get the sign. Lastly, he had the greatest range of any center fielder all time, and one of the best throwing arms too. This has made Willie the greatest player of all time. Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente come in a close second as far as being the greatest 5 tool players.

[@tommcconville4270]

@Charles McCarron I agree with you about Cobb and Shoeless Joe, I'm aware they played in the dead ball era. They were penalized by this, and you can say they were 5 tool players in the era they competed. I will say that Willie and Cobb were 2 of the top base runners all time. And in the top echelon of base stealers along with Wills, Brock and Henderson.

[@tommcconville4270]

@Charles McCarron And I should have added the great Jackie Robinson to that list of base runners and base stealers. He revolutionized the art of base stealing, especially stealing home plate against the Yankees in a World Series. So one could say Jackie is the best base runner of all time and get no argument.

[@stuartperry1047]

Willie is still the best player I've ever seen. Joe DiMaggio said that Willie was the best player he ever saw- and Joltin" Joe was Willie's idol as a kid. I also agree that Aaron and Clemente are a close second. Big respect must also be paid to Mantle, who was very fast before a leg injury slowed him down- and Frank Robinson, the only man to win MVP in both leagues.

[@moncaman1]

My favorite baseball player of all time love you Willie Mays...👍⚾🇺🇸🗽💪...

[@Ballhawk-bi6ly]

Number 24 will go down forever as one of the greats. We will forever cherish Monte Irvin

[@donaldholland4374]

My all-time favorite ⚾️

[@Barneyrubble241]

Mays lost 266 games to military service and played 12 seasons in Candlestick Park which was probably the worst ballpark ever for right handed hitters. Mays might have hit 800 home runs.

[@tommcconville4270]

He probably would have broken Ruth's home run record had it not been for the deplorable conditions of Candlestick Park.

[@Barneyrubble241]

@@tommcconville4270 I totally believe that he would have. One of the worst ball park ever for right handed power hitters.

[@username-zj9id]

Wow so you're saying he would have hit 140 homeruns in less than 2 seasons?

[@username-zj9id]

@@Barneyrubble241 he might have passed 714, but then, ruth might have hit 850 had he not been a pitcher for 5 seasons. Nobody ever seems to mention that.

[@tommcconville4270]

@@username-zj9id Don't understand your comment for love nor money. It's a fact that Willie Mays lost a multitude of home runs playing 13 full seasons in Candlestick Park. Some savvy baseball minds estimate at least 50. That would have given him at least 710. And the rest he could have hit with the Mets his final year to break Ruth's record. 70 home runs first year 70 the next year to total 140, what does that mean? It's totally irrelevant to the discussion.

[@luishumbertovega3900]

Willie Mays 1931-2024

[@randymacpherson295]

Certainly you might name a player better than Willie for each of the five tools BUT NO ONE WAS EVER BETTER AT ALL 5 TOGETHER!!! Willie Mays remains the greatest baseball player I have ever seen!!!!

[@bobmecgeo]

I agree....just wish he’d have retired a couple of years earlier

[@kevinmiller1985]

@@bobmecgeo Why?

[@bobmecgeo]

Kevin Miller you must be young, Kevin! Willie came to the Mets around ‘72, in his 40’s. I got to see the greatest player of all time (really!) batting around .180, stumbling around the outfield and 1B like a drunken septagenarian in search of his teeth. It was just sad. Be well, friend

[@kevinmiller1985]

@@bobmecgeo I'm 54, s o I was 8 years old when Ma ys retired after the 1973 sea son. Sadly, I don't remember him playing.

[@bobmecgeo]

Kevin Miller Willie Mays and Clemente were the greatest of all time, were great at everything. Mays had better power, Clemente better defense. And they brought an unmatched excitement.

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

Babe Ruth was a great pitcher but he never faced the great black players who came along once the game was integrated. The Babe would take a week to steal a base. Willie was and still is the greatest player who ever lived.

[@TheBatugan77]

Stop the bullshit.

[@donaldholland4374]

The pre and post "admission" of Black players to the majors most likely would have impacted the achievements of many a player. We'll never know to what extent.

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

@@donaldholland4374 True.

[@fuqui035]

I'm puertorican clemente was my favorite player but Willie was better I'm 76

[@melbea03]

love that inside the parker,and watching those dodgers jump

[@Nestor123057]

Yeah, I've never seen that. Willie could really run the bases. Roy thought he had him at home though.

[@bobgure]

My hero.

[@deepcosmiclove]

Mays stealing second was in the 10th inning of 1954 World Series game one. Cleveland catcher Jim Hegan makes a good throw. Mays was the winning run, so Lopez has the next batter walked, and Durocher sends up Rhodes who pops up but the ball carries to the 259 foot marker in right field for the most famous pinch homerun in World Series history.

[@enniswhalen2428]

@ dcl - The Kirk Gibson pinch walk-off HR in the 1988 W/S might give that a run for its money . . . .

[@BruceAChristie]

Really enjoyed this video and the credible sources being interviewed.

[@thewkovacs316]

rest in power, mr mays

[@rstrell]

The greatest! RIP

[@Nestor123057]

To understand the greatness of Willie Mays just think of him as a glove man. He was clearly the greatest centerfielder anyone ever saw. Oh yeah, he could hit a little, 660 homeruns and a .302 lifetime batting average.

[@Musicfan53-ww4jm]

RIP

[@RafaelSoltren]

In an interview Willy mays said the best player he ever saw was ROBERTO CLEMENTE……….

[@vlessinger]

great story. He was my idol as a ballplayer. I grew up in the bronx but loved #24. I was 12 yrs old when I found out willie was moving to SF. Ah the polo grounds. my memories are relived thanks to your post

[@billysmith3018]

I was also 12 that year (also the Bronx) and was knocked out hearing the Giants were moving to SF. I asked my father if that was legal. I saw the Giants a few years later on spring break from college when a few of us went to SF from Spokane. It was April and SF in April is not pleasant weather-wise. When we got to Candlestick, the PA announced that Mays would not be playing that night. For maybe the only time in his career he was sick and missed that one game. We lasted until the 5th inning and left. I still consider that Giants' move to SF one of the major markers of my life. The first major disappointment for a young kid.

[@walterkoziol3822]

I remember watching the tail end of his career but what I saw as a young kid who really just learning the sport of baseball saw this player doing amazing things. This polish white kid who is a Red Sox fan's hero growing up wasn't Ted Williams, or Carl Yazstremski. It was Willie Mays. He will always be the perfect ball player. There'll never be another one like him. Those that watched him play were truly blessed. As for those who never saw him in live action you have my deepest sympathies cause you greatly missed the greatest ball player that ever played the game.

[@flyingdutchman913]

Yo Campy - he's safe! @2:01

[@enniswhalen2428]

@ T V G - And tell that to Jackie Robinson also . . . .

[@fek2000]

At 2:02...he was safe, Campy!

[@mothertree]

What can you say! Say Hey

[@eandsm4620]

RIP Say Hey Kid!

[@tommyrawlings3046]

Mays was the smartest player ever! He was also the greatest defensive outfielder ever, he had the best arm ever and of course hit for a great average and great power and great speed! But, Hank Aaron was a better hitter!

[@TheBatugan77]

The Giants moved to SF before I was born...in NYC. Dammit!

[@cmaurice9133]

The 🐐

[@deepcosmiclove]

Mays never did that. He came close once, getting 3 assists on three different bases in one game, against LA, in 1966 I think.

[@Bob-tu8wk]

He would have had an assist at every base that day except Tito Fuentes dropped his throw at 2nd base

[@gmanning4881]

in the live ball era

[@KevinBender55]

glad you liked it.

[@loughran03]

Mays had a better career than Mantle, but Mantle had it all over Mays in natural ability, much more raw power, and faster than Mays.

[@dme1016]

loughran03 Bullshit - and I've been a Yankees fan since back then. Willie was the best, no doubt. And if he hadn't played in Candlestick all those years, he would've passed Ruth easily.

[@kevinmiller1985]

@@dme1016 Same thing had the Giants not moved out of the Polo Grounds after the '57 s eson, or if Mays had played his home games @ Ebbets Field for the Brooklyn Dodge rs.

[@ousamaabdu794]

I call BS, and this has to be put to bed. I know Mickey was the tragic Golden Boy but Mays was simply a better ball player and even more talented than the Mick. Mays was a far superior defender, had a much stronger throwing arm. While they were both blazing fast, mays was a much better baserunner. When it came to hitting for average it's close but Mays also beats him in that as well. The only thing that the Mick had over Mays was sheer power. With that being said he also played at Yankee Stadium, which has always been more of a hitters park, especially from the left side. Also, plain fact is that Willie had pound for the the longest peak of any MLB player ever. His WAR was still almost 6 at age 40. He really took great care of himself and that is also another huge factor. Mickey chose to go out every night and get wasted, and his career was pretty much over by 33. It was his choice, if he took better care of himself and had more dedication to the game then this debate would be closer, but unfortunately he didnt.

[@babybutchie]

How good a pitcher was Mays? LOL Babe Ruth was the greatest.

[@ShunyamNiketana]

But not the base runner or fielder.