Willie Mays Joins the Tim McCarver Show

Willie Mays, often regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, enjoyed an illustrious career that spanned over two decades from 1951 to 1973. He was a 24-time All-Star, a 12-time Gold Glove Award winner, and a two-time National League MVP (1954 and 1965).
He ranks fifth on the all-time home run list with 660, and his 338 stolen bases demonstrate his speed on the base paths. Mays consistently boasted a high batting average, finishing his career with a .302 mark. As a Black player during the era of racial segregation in baseball, Mays became a symbol of breaking barriers and inspiring generations of African-American players.
His acrobatic catches in center field, known as "The Catch" during the 1954 World Series, are still considered some of the greatest defensive plays in baseball history. Mays' impact transcended the game itself, making him an enduring icon and a beloved figure in the world of sports. Willie Mays was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, cementing his status as a legend in the annals of baseball history.

[@charliekucharski2079]

Rest in peace Tim and Willie, two of major league baseball's Hall of Famers. Really nice and insightful interview.

[@robertjasso6673]

I watched Willie Mays all my life .. From 1958 till he retired with the Mets. My first baseball games were at Seals Stadium in the right field bleachers watching those new Giants from NYC led by the Say Hey kid. Willie made me and my family love the game, including my little sisters. Anyone who watched Willie play could see it, Willie was special, played like a kid, played with flair played with joy. I cried like a baby when I heard Willie’s light had finally been turned off.

[@ralphabreu5022]

Tim Mccarver and Willie Mays 2 baseball legends Rest In Peace both blessed athletes.

[@peterkleinman3526]

Remember Tim McCarver, a gracious and engaging host.

[@Amick44]

It was a superb show. Tim did an excellent job with his guests. Stars from All sports and all eras.

[@jonathansmith3742]

Willie Mays, what a man.

[@kathyellis2350]

Willie Mays, a household name when growing up

[@jerrystewart6232]

A pure baseball legend and man!!!God bless you Mr.Mays and rest in peace Mr. Mc Carver....

[@postatility9703]

Tim was one of the most intelligent of all sports media figures.He was also Steve "Lefty" Carlton's favorite batterymate for several great seasons with the Cardinals and the Phillies.

[@johnnyrotten6753]

Rip willie mays

[@johnnystewart83]

May God bless his soul.........

[@dougcrain5315]

Willie was my favorite growing up.. I saw him play with the Giants and Mets.. and remember that speech in 73.. The Mets were in the WS that year.. His last at bat a hit in that series.. RIP Willie.. I was saddened when I heard he passed a few days ago. Such a young 93. I'll remember him forever..

[@richardstrom5150]

Wow!! McCarver really knows how to dig deep into great topics! Willie mays is an elite baseball intelligence! One of best mays interviews I’ve heard.

[@felixmadison5736]

I can only vouch for the players I've seen since the 1950s, and Willie Mays was the best player I've seen. I didn't love or hate the Giants, but if you loved baseball, you had to love Willie. If I was drafting a new team, he would be my first pick. I remember HOF announcer Curt Gowdy saying that when he first saw Willie Mays in the locker room, his body was so lean and hard you could light a match off it.

[@RalphLaureano-yk6xb]

Willie Mays is definitely a class act, the greatest of all time

[@gerardmetzger6182]

Willie was the best, white, black or whatever. THE BEST AND THAT IS IT. Now all of us get to see and enjoy it forever. Thank you Willie! Tim thanks for this program we love you too.

[@dadadrew]

100 percent

[@clydeb7713]

Tim passed last year.

[@TheBatugan77]

BabeRuthWasBetter. Sorry. ✊😃👍

[@paulwolinsky1538]

I used to read a lot of sports books when I was young. "The 'Say Hey' Kid" was a good one, by Lou Sahadi. While I forget almost everything I read back in '74 or '75 (I think Wiĺie was playing for NY Mets then), the thing that Sahadi says, and everybody knows, was that Mays was one of a handful of players during his day that was a 5-star man: He could run, throw, catch, hit and hit for power (666 hrs, or around there). There was some controversy about Mays during his time with the Mets, but I am quite happy that I grew up being able to see him play on the baseball game of the week (free) and get to know about him. RIP 'Say Hey' Kid.

[@Fremen2]

I was a young teen when he was with the Mets living in the Bronx. There was no controversy in my mind's eye. He dropped a ball on one play in that period (71-73) if i remember correctly he was in his early 40's by then.

[@philippesauvie639]

RIP WILLY MAYS

[@scottemelock583]

Plain and simple the greatest player I ever saw

[@MrAitraining]

I never caught the Tim McCarver show when it was originally on but I've been finding, watching and recording as many episodes as I can now. He had so many legends on of all sports. Really great sit downs.

[@Amick44]

If you can find the reruns, it is definitely worthwhile.

[@aa697]

The Greatest of All Time. RIP 🙏 Pure Class, Elegance and just a tremendous human being as well as the greatest ballplayer.

[@billgray3796]

Truly

[@chlduiowks]

We still have him with us. God Bless Willie.

[@billgray3796]

RIP WILLIE...THE GREATEST..

[@marksinger3067]

As a baseball kid in L.A. when the Dodgers and Giants moved out here to the West Coast we followed all the great players of the day and Willie Mays was always special to us..

[@douglasthompson9482]

The best of the best…..an iconic hero. Rip friend.

[@vijaynair2403]

RIP…both Willie and Tim!

[@clydeb7713]

That Giant kid was GREAT!

[@brandonandrewdad]

RIP pioneer. Role model 🙏🏽

[@danacoleman4007]

this is WONDERFUL!!!!!

[@luishumbertovega3900]

At 10:47 that photo of Willie wearing the Cangrejeros uniform surprised me, love it !!! Blessings from San Juan 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico, R.I.P. the great Willie Mays. ⚾😢

[@8avexp]

Say hey, Willie!

[@topgun6981]

Ode to Sir Willie Mays spelling out his name: "Willie Mays, SIR to all of us. I, like many looked up to you with pride. Love you immensely for the road you paved for us of a brown hue. Lasting memories are going to be our tapestry of you. "I so admire Sir Mays" are utterances in many a head now and beyond. Excellence in being is what you are with a resounding AMEN. May your family turn to god for inner strength. Anything is possible as God has shown you. Your breath of sustainable achievements will be forever lasting. So Sir, I write this to bid you farewell to enjoy eternal rest."🫶🏾

[@miguel.ledesmaledesma1790]

May they both rest in peace 🙏🏾. I didn’t see Willie play,but as a the baseball historian that I am,I feel that he was the greatest all around player of all time. Hank Aaron was a better hitter for example,but no one was as a more complete ball player as Willie mays. No one!!!!

[@johncowhig7196]

What can I say. Willie Mays. The say hey kid. I played baseball when I was a kid. Little league. I have some of the best memories of my life from little league. But to make it to the big leagues like Willie, we'll that's amazing. He also retired when he was on the Mets. That's my favorite team. Love you Willie. RIP. Love you too Tim. I didn't know you passed. RIP

[@luishumbertovega3900]

Leo Durocher on Willie's talent: "He can hit, he can run, he can field, he can throw... If he could cook I'd marry him !!!" 🤣😂😅😆

[@williamamely7038]

Tim McCarver was one of my favorite Mets Announcers, along with Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy and Gary Cohen. I also remember when Willie Mays came to the Mets in 1972 to play against the Giants. Rusty Staub hit the early Grand Slam to put us in the lead. Later in the game after Tito Fuentes drove in the tying run for the Giants, Mays hit the homer to help the team win 5-4. That was a special moment. Then the Mets make it to the World Series in 1973, with just 82 wins in the season. I still thought then that Seaver should have pitched game 7, instead of game 6.

[@DDEENY]

I also remember Willie's first game with the Mets. He batted leadoff and drew a walk against the Giants' Sam McDowell, then Bud Harrelson and I think Wayne Garrett got on base before Rusty (God rest his soul) hit the grand slam in the bottom of the first inning at Shea Stadium. Then later in the same game Willie hit his first homer as a Met against Don Carrithers. A day to remember.

[@williamamely7038]

@DDEENY While the Mets fell short in the World Series against the A's, they could have won it if Seaver had started game 7 instead of game 6. I was proud of that team, having only won 82 games to win the division. Love my Mets, Jets, Rangers, and Knicks.

[@JewandGreek]

He was my baseball hero when I was a kid back in the 60s. Nice to see him holding up so well.

[@danacoleman4007]

ummm........

[@RModillo]

1973 was the first season I followed baseball, and the Mets my team! I didn't want Aaron to get the HR title because I thought Willie would be a great recipient. Add to that the fact that he was obviously slowing down and I liked rooting for the underdog.

[@woody625]

My fav growing up. I am lucky to have seen him play.

[@waynejohanson1083]

Mays was on deck when Thomson hit that homer for the Giants to win the pennant. Willie was a rookie that year.

[@rickmarrero3280]

.319 .320 is a legend in todays game

[@drbonesshow1]

Hard to believe Tim is already gone.

[@claudinpierrelouis6500]

RIP LEGEND MAYS MAN CRAZY THESE BLACK GUYS DIED FIRST ROBINSON THEN HANK AARON AND NOW MAYS RIP THESE LEGENDS MAN

[@ajuniorroyce6885]

Hands down....Bay Area's Greatest Of All Time..Willie ..aka Say Hey Kid Mays...

[@rnklv8281]

One of the few centerfielders who would/could make a basket catch (catching the ball at waist level) on a routine fly ball to centerfield and make it look so routine.

[@morrisralph54]

Willie is God.

[@felixmadison5736]

Man!!! Talent at 15 that most guys in the Major Leagues don't have!

[@user-jn9gv9ve6e]

ernie harwell said the best player he ever saw was willie mays. he said the best hitter he ever saw was ted williams.

[@davemr6193]

No doubt about that; and I'd add the best power switch hitter was probably mantle

[@user-jn9gv9ve6e]

@@davemr6193 i saw mickey play many times at tiger stadium and i would agree with that. one good switch hitter who nobody talks about is eddie murray.

[@Thebamtino24]

Rip Say Hey …..Kid ❤

[@garrysaint-vil725]

🪦 both Timmy and Willie these legends are gone for the past two years

[@martinsly9624]

What a legend that Say Hey kid!! Best all around player of all time and even times before that!! The man is still as straight as a pipe! Respect

[@marklasky3555]

Amazing man a hero to me when I was a kid

[@nala3038]

Interesting tidbit. Willie is also the only man in MLB history to hit a home run in every inning from 1 to 16.

[@EricVoegelin]

Mays ran the fielders from center field.

[@MarkJorgenson]

Willie never wore batting gloves

[@rwdavis22461]

RIP

[@GeorgeYoung-co3rr]

He made 100 thousand! And i thought that was a lot of money! Nnow he would make 60 million! What a shame , what they pay these guys now

[@bruce8321]

Buck Martinez agrees Willy was the greatest and in Toronto we love Buck.

[@glenngrinter6818]

Would be making $50,000,000 a year if his skills existed in todays game.⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️

[@raymilburn9902]

This must be an old video.

[@edwinjohnson7580]

2005

[@user-ld9xw8ck2r]

Willie was better then mantle

[@texasstadium]

Sorry Joe and Mick, Willie was the greatest centerfielder of all time.

[@asde813]

Look up Tris Speaker

[@texasstadium]

@@asde813 I know Tris Speaker. I am from Cleveland area. I respect your choice. But I'll stick with Willie.

[@TheBatugan77]

Look up Vince DiMaggio.

[@TheBatugan77]

Look up Cesar Geronimo.

[@texasstadium]

@@TheBatugan77 And there was Dom Dimaggio

[@flybynightgirl]

... so he admits holding back in Szf games. Oh my his stats would a been higher draft or no draft. 😮 oh no ugh

[@toniwertman4818]

The Mets should’ve won the World Series in 1973 had a nap been for several stupid mistakes and Willie mays would’ve I had a championship his last and final season

[@DeweyParrish-dn2zu]

Willie Mays is the #1 person i would like to meet!!! Next would be Donald Trump!!!

[@ridgemanron]

I'd like a list published, stating exactly who the 5% of Hall Of Fame voters were that didn't vote for Mays. They had to be ignorant, angry racists and their names should become public knowledge.

[@gregsmith6380]

Mays, mcCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Juan marishel,.... Who am I leaving out??????

[@gregsmith6380]

Always pulled for those guys. Never dodgers, or Yanks.

[@TheBatugan77]

Those ignorant angry 'racists' also snub Cobb, Wagner, Mathewson, Johnson & the Babe too?

[@climatescientist]

this guy is baseball gospel