Sport Science: Willie Mays ‘The Catch’ ⚾️ | ESPN MLB

Looking back at the life and career of Willie Mays, his signature moment can be instantly recalled with two words: “The Catch.” Jeff Passan shares more on the amazing feat that the “Say Hey Kid” pulled off in the 1954 World Series.
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[@igm1201]

That catch was made in the World Series which made it more dramatic and more people watching baseball then which made it more legendary. People may said ballplayer have been doing that catch every week but never in that context with everything on the line. Pressure situations made that catch immortal

[@soaringvulture]

Yeah. Some reporter asked Monte Irvin (the Giants' right fielder) what went through his mind when Wertz hit that liner. He said "Willie gets that ball".

[@USC9210]

The Polo Grounds outfield was sooo large. Wertz's drive is out of every ballpark in the history of the game except for the Polo Grounds. The average, the above average CenterFielder would not have gotten to the ball, let alone spun and got the ball back to the infield so that the runners on base could not tag up and advance (or even try to score given the game situation). Mays was more than THE baseball star when MLB dominated the American culture, he was an American Pop-Culture Icon alongside Sinatra, Elvis, Ruth, Hemingway. Because he plied his craft with so much intelligence and joy he is probably the #1 American Icon.

[@michaelhudson863]

Dead center at yankee stadiium was 490 ft. I don’t know about 1954, but there are other stadiums in history with a center field bigger then 420 feet

[@deepcosmiclove]

The runner on 2nd (Doby) tagged and went to 3rd. The throw stopped him from scoring.

[@TomShelby1234]

What a catch! Rest Easy “Say Hey Kid”

[@alicemcleod6149]

One of the greatest baseball players ever to play the game, RIP "Say Hey Kid!'!

[@stewartwattson5386]

Geez, normally a pro-stats and analytics guy, but man this video managed to suck all the joy out of one of all sports most iconic moments.

[@jeffandersen7397]

Not Even Remotely a Baseball fan, but this is impressive and inspirational

[@Celsinho17]

Absolutely insane. Rest in power. ✊🏾

[@Alan-lv9rw]

My dad was in the seats directly above Mays, about 8 rows up.

[@Rye-jl2fk]

I made a catch just like that one time in a backyard baseball game to win the game. If I didn't make the catch my team would have lost on a walk off. Let me tell you, that catch made my entire week! Rest easy Willie.

[@stevenhaff3332]

lol! Could you hit for power like Willie too?

[@Rye-jl2fk]

@@stevenhaff3332 Absolutely not! Lol

[@tcq2734]

the throw back was just as impressive, holding the runners. unsure why these videos always stop short of showing the throw in

[@kwondo780]

My childhood hero ❤ May you rest in peace Sir!!

[@idebbienelson3372]

Dad's favorite player. RIP

[@feldercowart422]

Rip the greatest my dad favorite player rip pops bow you get to meet him

[@AndrewWarrenPatriotsfan]

RIP Willie Mays 🙏

[@henrylant7049]

I think one of the most impressive parts about this catch is the fact that it would have been a home run in every modern MLB ballpark. With an exit velo of 106 at that launch angle, only a handful of center fielders can cover that kind of ground from that distance - let alone track the ball and field it, then fire off a throw within a second of it being caught. Had Ken Griffey Jr. never been born, he would be the undisputed greatest center fielder of all time. Basically the MJ vs LeBron debate but in baseball. RIP a G.O.A.T.

[@gren870]

GOAT

[@ChargedTurnip55]

Rest in peace 🕊

[@made6711]

One of the greats. May have beat out Hank if he didn’t go to the Korean War. A true American hero. Rest easy. 🙏🏾

[@DaVictonator]

LEGEND 🕊️

[@ronnjackson-vl8jk]

Thank U Number 24.

[@MichaelWilliams-xe7by]

"Mays instinctively relies upon a process...0:51" That's BS. This catch is unparalleled athleticism and skill.

[@kennethbowers6920]

Some things aren't science...just pure talent

[@tammyhayes3676]

OG GOAT RIP

[@paulsonlivingstone5961]

With due respect, in cricket we have cricketers who have caught some acrobatic catches without gloves.

[@bruce0712]

The best ever

[@martinrenzhofer8241]

I hate the cut from the long view to the closer view. You lose just how much ground he covered.

[@m5hector31]

S.I.P Mr.Mays

[@Lassiter737]

The throw afterwords was better than the awesome catch

[@thaddeusfields4360]

Not better 😂, but yes, impressive.

[@user-zs2ss7hd4l]

I just made the catch in MLB the show 24 Willie Mays tribute

[@soaringvulture]

It's a good thing Willie studied all of that stuff before he took the field. Otherwise he would never have caught up with that ball.

[@hank1519]

Good point!

[@eastbaysteez21]

23 years old deepest centerfield to patrol. They told him play line to line

[@ianhoward4246]

It looks good, but he had a massive glove on one hand 😮

[@leavingitblank9363]

But... then what happened???

[@viccorrell6157]

Willie was the best of all time, and that was a great catch, but Jim Edmonds made that catch once a week when he was in his prime.

[@LoamReaper]

C'mon. Running 90 feet?! Are there videos to back you up?

[@viccorrell6157]

@@LoamReaper just google Jim Edmonds defensive highlights and you’ll see all you want. Obviously you’re not much of a baseball fan.

[@viccorrell6157]

@@LoamReaper just google Jim Edmonds defensive highlights and see for yourself.

[@stewartwattson5386]

Next can you get a linguistic scholar to breakdown the semantics of "Say Hey"? That may successfully kill any joy in remembering Mayes, this video only sucked 90% of the joy out

[@js290]

this stientific explanation just ruined The Catch... kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYLGh5uvdsZ_pK8

[@Breen09]

The most overrated play ever in all of sports

[@awiste71]

The most ignorant comment ever in all of sports. You obviously don’t understand the difficulty level of tracking the ball 90 ft while running in a dead sprint to make a nearly impossible catch. Catching the ball over his shoulder was just the icing on the cake.

[@feldercowart422]

Let me guess you mad they let the blacks play? Lol

[@moonbear5061]

@@awiste71 Not only that. But to stop on a dime, and whirl and make an incredible throw to hold the runners!!

[@mcmccoy1184]

⁠​⁠@@awiste71Yes! . . . running in a dead sprint TOWARD A WALL WITH NO PADDING while looking back over his shoulder. And, of course, there’s The Throw.

[@deepcosmiclove]

@@moonbear5061 The runner on 2nd (Doby) went to 3rd.