When Willie Mays Returned To New York For His Last Season

[@AnsonBeeker]

Glad to see someone covering the OLD timers from my Dad's era.

[@tommyfu9271]

My grandfather was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan who hated the Giants and said Willie Mays was the best player he ever saw.

[@agoogleuser992]

obviously he never seen Hank Aaron play

[@paulazmudzinski9225]

Funny thing, Vin Scully said that as well. "Let me tell you something, you've always been my favorite player even though you wore the wrong uniform". You can watch the entire exchange between Scully and Mays on KZbin. -mikenotpaula.

[@mattdon2164]

My Dad was a diehard Brooklyn Dodger fan as well (he grew up in Crescent Street just off Atlantic Avenue in East New York in the late 1930’s into the early 1950’s). Dad said Willie was like the Michael Jordan of his time. All fans of all teams loved Willie and how he played the game.

[@tommyfu9271]

@@agoogleuser992 obviously he did.

[@jameslocopo4742]

I am a Mets fan because of the trade that brought the Mays to the Mets. Back in 1972 I was a 7 year old kid who was just starting to get into baseball and I can still remember being in my friend’s moms car when the news came that Willie Mays was coming to the Mets. I don’t even remember his sub par performance as I was just in awe of his legendary status. Two notes about the video, the Mets did give out 24 to just a few players after Mays’ retirement (Rickey Henderson for one) but it was a rare occurrence until it was officially retired. And finally…can we stop the Bobby Bonilla annuity media obsession? There are a ton of players that have opted for a similar deal and at the time it made financial sense for the Mets….what didn’t make sense was the former owner investing with Bernie Madoff

[@8avexp]

I remember when Willie came to the Mets. He had very little left by then, but always got a tremendous ovation whenever his name was announced.

[@DDEENY]

I was at a Mets game at Shea Stadium in 1973 and saw Willie Mays hit a home run against the Cardinals' Joaquín Andújar. Great memory. Willie will be missed. R.I.P.

[@8avexp]

@@DDEENY I was there on July 7, 1973. Ralph Garr of the Braves hit a fly ball that turned into an inside-the-park home run when Don Hahn and George Theodore collided in the outfield. Theodore suffered a dislocated hip. Yogi sent in Willie to play center field and the crowd just went nuts. New York never stopped loving him.

[@DDEENY]

@@8avexp I wish that I was at that game. I believe that was the injury that essentially led to the end of George "The Stork" Theodore's career although he played in the '73 Series and in '74 with the Mets, and he was a colorful character. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Theodore But it was sad that Willie Mays declined as he did at the end at the expense of his career batting average. He looked bad missing that fly ball in Game Two of the '73 Series but that was a tougher chance than people are willing to admit and the sun was glaring. That over-the-head catch in the '54 Series at the Polo Grounds perpetually raised expectations. And I'll always remember Willie Mays Night in 1973 at Shea Stadium as the Mets were bearing down on the NL East Pennant when Willie declared, "Willie, say good-bye to America." How sweet it all was back in the day when America was great. Thank you.

[@terryshaw9471]

First time I watched Willie Mays play was in Atlanta Stadium as a Braves fan and was about 1968 and he cranked a 430 ft homer over the center field fence. What a player!

[@chillywillie6283]

I was born in 1956 so Willie Mays was my first sports hero and the reason l started playing and watching baseball on television.

[@cedenson1ify]

Mine as well. Just above Jack Nicklaus…

[@nrkgalt]

Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Babe Ruth all started and ended their careers playing in the same city but for different teams.

[@nohbuddy1]

Oh yeah that's neat

[@RoofDoctorsJoanne]

I was thinking maybe Duke Snider as well?

[@nohbuddy1]

@@RoofDoctorsJoanne Almost but his last year was with the Giants

[@RoofDoctorsJoanne]

@@nohbuddy1 yep....Jimmy Foxx did

[@nohbuddy1]

@@RoofDoctorsJoanne Oh another good one

[@mattdon2164]

Willie will always be the Say Hey kid. Leo Durocher took him under his wing and nurtured his early career when he doubted his own abilities. Thanks for all the great memories, Willie. 👍🙏

[@Cape-Dweller]

That ‘73 Mets team should have won that series.

[@riccardinod]

They should have trusted george stone to make a start and start seaver on full rest

[@herecomesforego1787]

All correct 💯

[@RCC.1962]

​@riccardinod Thank you! I agree 100%! He had a great year, and went from 3 wins 4 losses, to 12 wins 4 losses. He would have held the A's down.

[@RCC.1962]

I've been complaining about Yogi not starting Stone, for 51 years. Lol! And while I'm ranting, Harrelson was SAFE at home plate . R.IP Buddy Harrelson !

[@stevep8445]

Shoulda, coulda,woulda……didn’t

[@jonbeckleymorrisblues]

My Brother in law who used to work for the Braves in the late 60's--had great stories about playing poker with Willie Mays during a rain delay, watching Sandy Koufax warm up before a game. In 1971 He took us to a game in Atlanta against the Giants where Hank Aaron hit a home run while Willis drove in the winning run for the Giants. A pretty cool Baseball moment. I got lucky that night. Thanks for posting this.

[@lukeconverse6632]

The greatest all around baseball player in history from I’ve been told and watching highlights of him

[@danieldayton3497]

Alive today 4/14/24

[@ManuelGuzman067]

Amazing hes still Alive MLB Legend ⚾ Great Sr. Willie Mays

[@billydurham4143]

Nostalgia. The best of the best times in baseball. NY, Brooklyn

[@DDEENY]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6mxpn2vlJusl7s

[@chillywillie6283]

My first sports hero. I remember being eight years old, just discovering baseball and watching my first MLB all-star game during in the 1965 season. This one black player was introduced and the crowd immediately jumped to their feet with a rousing standing ovation that lasted a while. Growing up black in the Deep South during those years of segregation and racial tensions, l was amazed by the respect shown for that black man at that time in history amongst all that turmoil. This was still less than twenty years since Jackie Robinson was initially disrespected in every way possible. That player was Willie Mays. Back in those days we only had two (clear) television channels and one tv game a week, so whenever l saw Willie Mays (maybe once or twice a season) it was something special.

[@stevesullivan8705]

Willie's glove was where triples went to die.

[@tedrohe9048]

Thanks for this video. Super helpful as I made the Mets my 2nd fav MLB baseball team and I'm still learning the history of the Mets and baseball more in general.

[@glenschunk3995]

Mays a Met. I was 14 & Channel 29,Buffalo N.Y. only a year old carried 41 games that season. Though he didn`t always play, for me he was the reason I tuned in.

[@KandKStudiosFilms]

Rest In Peace Mays you will be missed

[@luishumbertovega3900]

Loved the jab at Bobby Bonilla at the end !!! 🤣😂😆⚾

[@kevinmadden1645]

His last two seasons-1972 and 1973.

[@winddmmy]

the first game i ever went to was at shea in 1970 mets vs giants mays got hurt in a home plate collision.

[@baseballheirlooms]

Great Video

[@toressm]

I am so happy, he is for the Mets #24.

[@canadianfortrump4057]

I've read that because of the heavy winds blowing off the lake near Candle Stick Park, Willie Mays lost 67 home runs when he hit the ball over the fence but the wind blew the ball back onto the field. Mays officially hit 660 home runs so adding 67, that makes 727 he would have hit if it wasn't for Mother Nature. He would have broken Babe Ruth's record before Hank Aaron did.

[@thewkovacs316]

and aaron played in band box parks

[@ron88303]

If this; if that. If's don't count in life. Also, In the bigger scheme, both had lifetime .300+ avg and OPS+ rating of 155. There's room for both in my starting outfield.

[@ron88303]

@@thewkovacs316 May's home stadium for his first six seasons was the Polo Grounds in New York, which had a 279 ft left field line and 258 right field line. For most of the balance of his career, he played only half his games at Candlestick, and the rest in "band box parks" like Aaron.

[@brianmcclain1916]

All you have to do is look at Mays' career HR splits: 335 home, 325 away, to conclude that he would not have hit significantly more homers had he played elsewhere.

[@ron88303]

@@brianmcclain1916 Agreed. Biggest culprit for him was the time spent in military. Almost two years. Added HRs during that time would have pushed him close to Ruth, if not actually pass him. Expanding the strike zone between 1963-1968 probably didn't help either.

[@99somerville]

Mrs. Payson loved Willie and wanted him back in NY. She had voted against the move to SF from NY in the 50s.

[@danieldayton3497]

I said hi to Joan in her behind the dugout box seat at Shea I think ‘65

[@8avexp]

Mrs. Payson promised Willie that no one else would wear number 24 once he retired, but she never got around to issuing an official order to retire it. I'm glad the Mets took care of that once and for all.

[@99somerville]

@@8avexp Agreed. I have no idea why it took so long to do it. I’m sure they were aware of her promise.

[@JohnSmith-zw8vp]

Do more videos of players in their last season (especially if they were on a different team than in their prime) like Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Steve Carlton (he had an especially hard time letting go), Reggie Jackson...

[@MAG-li5jo]

I got to see Willie Mays in his last season at Candlestick against the Giants. Pretty close to the field behind the dugout and right of home plate. I think I was 9 or 10.

[@cedenson1ify]

GREAT commentary…

[@jellomarx]

The greatest ball player that I ever saw. Also had wonderful charisma and was a baseball savant. Tom Seaver said th:.at Mays was the only outfielder that he ever that he ever played with that Wantted to know what pitch he was throwing. He could judge is, where the ball was likely to be hit by knowing the pitch looking at the batters feet.

[@brianmcclain1916]

How was Seaver supposed to signal the pitch to Mays out in centerfield?

[@jellomarx]

@@brianmcclain1916 -I don’t remember. , is

[@notsosilentmajority1]

I remember that series. We lived in Brooklyn and everyone, even Yankee fans were rooting for Willie Mays and the Mets, whether secretly or not, lol. We see players get old and not be able to perform like they used to but Mays looked worse than most people at his age. It's a shame that Mays didn't finish his career with the Giants but at least he finished his career in New York. Say hey!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@stormbringercoming8105]

Seeing Willie in a Mets uniform just didn’t seem right. He looked tired, worn out, haggard and a confused. Of course he wasn’t, but his best days were behind him. He was a Giant, pure and simple.

[@michaelleroy9281]

His first game for the Mets Sunday May 14 1972 he hit a home run

[@michaelcunningham2808]

Horace Stoneham was like Calvin Griffith, owner of the Minnesota Twins, and Connie Mack when the Athletics were in Philadelphia. Their baseball teams were the only business interests they had. There was no corporate structure where the teams could operate at a loss and not be harmed so when attendance was bad it hit men like Stoneham, Griffith, and Mack a lot harder than it did someone like Gussie Busch, whose brewery owned the Cardinals.

[@14ls98]

RIP Say Hey Kid #24

[@MichaelLabriola-f8s]

I will never forgive the 73 mets for not getting willie that world series ring! I'm still pissed! ❤#24 forever!

[@jameshudson169]

i've never seen photographs of a meeting of the 600hr club. i'm dubious it even exists.

[@mergspvy]

What if the Mets hadn't traded Otis or Ryan?

[@SlipKid1975]

They would have made some other bad trades…

[@souljazzrb]

They traded Ken Singleton too. It would have been great to have Otis and Singleton in the outfield together.

[@mergspvy]

@@souljazzrb Agreed, but at least they got Staub for the package with Singleton.

[@Luke86811]

RIP

[@buicklincoln]

If he was ineffective and a part-timer most of the regular season, why on earth put him in centerfield in the post season. Centerfield is the most demanding of the outfield positions.

[@OriginalRocketJock]

5:33 Chub Fee-knee

[@1977TA]

This video just gave me another reason to hate the A's. Good grief I didn't know they were the reason the Giants lost Willie Mays. Speaking of that trade, I think Willie should have retired as soon as he learned it was going to happen. Retiring as a Giant would have been a better end to his career.

[@codygurnick6405]

I always wondered how he hit for so much power with such an awful swing. Never knew Willie was jacked.

[@thewkovacs316]

ruth was the roid freak....he packed those hotdogs and beer with ped's

[@georgesouthwick7000]

Another example of why it is better to retire a year too early than a year too late.

[@TheOGSticks11]

Disagree totally. Any MLB with Mays is better.

[@Demy1970]

Best ever would have hit 800 in different ballparks

[@cedenson1ify]

No doubt…

[@brianmcclain1916]

How so? It's not like Mays hit fewer HR at home In fact, he hit more. Mays' career HR spits are 335 home, 325 away. In order to project 800 HR -- if only he hadn't been stuck in Candlestick Park! -- his splits would need to be more like 260 home, 400 away.

[@bowzerbrawler789]

I was enjoying the video until Bonilla showed up 😮

[@BallparkHunter]

Ya gotta give that Bobby Bonilla joke a rest!

[@t.s.9656]

It was his last two seasons.

[@petergilchrist2805]

7th game 2 outs 9th inning berra put in boswell mays on the bench what if

[@sallyboy5418]

To the clown who narrated this video and every other narration of the Mets 1973 season, and to all who did not followed the Mets during the 1973 season, The ball club was plagued by injuries throughout the entire season, therefor, they were a sub .500 team till late August when they got all of their key pitchers and starting players back in the starting lineup, from there they achieved what they were suppose to do.... win the NL East. Imagine if they were healthy all season? This clown would no be emphasizing over and over again how they were the worst team in history to have won a division with the fewest wins. This is true, and a weak division helped significantly but obviously this clown show has resentment against this team or franchise. BTW, they went on to beat Big Red machine in 5 to win the NL pennant then lost to the dynasty in the making Oakland A's in 7 with 3-2 lead leaving Shea heading back to Oakland.

[@brianmcclain1916]

Exactly! If the Mets were the worst team to ever sneak or squeak into the playoffs, what were they doing beating the Big Red Machine in the NLCS before pushing the reigning WS Champs to 7 games. Incidentally, the Reds and A's each had their league's MVP that year: Pete Rose and Reggie Jackson.

[@thewkovacs316]

willie should have retired as a giant damn stoneham for trading him

[@SlipKid1975]

The NL President’s name was pronounced FEE KNEE not Fenny…😏

[@danholm4952]

he could still hit a little, fielding went to hell however..

[@AnsonBeeker]

Mets are always trying to mooch off Giants and Dodgers history.

[@jmy9595]

The closing Bobby Bonilla comment is irrelevant and stupid. That’s what was negotiated and it’s binding. It’s not something that can be dismissed now so get over it.

[@99somerville]

The definition of a five tool player.

[@seanohare5488]

Kind of a cynical piece why bother

[@karencarman8336]

Clemente was simply better than Mays!

[@billm3706]

Not as a player but definitely as a person. Willie was a grouch even in his 20 and 30 . A crabby jealous person.

[@thewkovacs316]

@@billm3706 willie was never a grouch.....what a silly thing to say

[@ron88303]

Depends on one's criteria. Clemente had better average, but Mays was superior in all other offensive metrics. Also had 339 stolen bases to 83 for Clemente, plus a .977 fielding percentage to .973 for Clemente. I'd take Mays over Clemente, but there is room for both in the outfield.

[@jazzbassoonpaul]

Hell no-Willie was better player

[@nala3038]

@@billm3706stupid thing to say

[@RobertMurphy-e9y]

You left out that willie in 74 ,was a coach and did batting practice at shea before games and players and fans alike would get a kick when willie would hit balls out....Was loved bye AL

[@RobertMurphy-e9y]

WILLIE SERVED 2YEARS IN ARMY, AT THE TIME AVERAGED 50 HOMERS PER SEASON,WOULD HAVE HIT 760