On June 18, American icon Willie Mays, known to baseball fans as the “Say Hey Kid,” died of heart failure at 93.
Donning “24” on his back and boldly sporting “Giants” on his chest, Mays was one of the all-time greatest baseball players. His illustrious 23 season career was highly decorated, earning 24 all-star appearances, 12 Gold Gloves, a batting title, Rookie of the Year, and two MVP awards.
“Willie Mays is synonymous with not only the Giants organization, but with baseball. And you can’t talk about baseball greats without Willie Mays. The two are inseparable, forever intertwined with skill, personality, and humility,” said The Crusader adviser, Susan Sutton.
Mays was not only a machine at the plate, but also an electrifying presence in center field. He made his famous overhead basket catch at the Polo Grounds in game one of the 1954 World Series versus the then Cleveland Indians. Known as one of the greatest catches of all time, it was nicknamed “the catch.”
Mays’ incredible work ethic and impressive play built his reputation of being a good role model for young players to emulate.
“As a baseball player who grew up in the Bay Area, Willie Mays has and always will be an inspiration to me. I’m sure plenty of other players would say the same, too,” said Riordan baseball player Andres Roca ’25.
Even coaches today would still like to have players who are just like Willie Mays.
“As the new varsity baseball head coach, I would love to have all 24 plus guys model after that,” said incoming Riordan varsity head coach, Craig Sargent.
The legendary Mays name is representative of the city of San Francisco, arguably becoming the face of the City.
“Even before I knew about Giants baseball growing up, when you heard Willie Mays’ name, you just thought, San Francisco, San Francisco,” English instructor Kevin Estrada ’00 said.
The back of the featured photo of Willie Mays notes that it was taken in 1966, his nickname was “Say Hey,” and he played center field.
Mays was a beacon of hope, inspiring many children of color to do more at a time when more seemed impossible with the odds stacked against them.
“Mays made it possible for children of color to believe that they can achieve something so great,” Estrada said.
The impact that Mays made does not only extend to baseball, but on a national level, too, as he entertained and inspired many across the country.
“He lived a life that was not just big on a baseball scale, but it also transcended the sport, because he was an American icon, too. He just made a lot of people happy in the Bay Area, in New York, and across the country,” former Riordan baseball player and Giants reporter for SFBay Steven Rissotto ’20 said.
“He’s gonna be looked at as an American icon more than a baseball icon, which is how I think he should be.”
A bronze monument of Mays stands tall at 24 Willie Mays Plaza at Oracle Park. He looks over toward the City, saying hey to the millions he inspired in the past, present, and forever.
