The "Say Hey Kid," Willie Mays is the best athlete to wear the number 24. Willie was a true "five tool" athlete, hitting for average and power, throwing well, fielding well, and running the bases with speed. He was an athlete is every sense of the word, and it was evident in his statistics. Willie's athleticism with the Giants (and Mets for a short time,) helped him acheive the following:
- Two-time NL MVP (1954 and 1965)
- 1951 NL Rookie of the Year
- 24-time All-Star (Ted Williams said: "They invented the All-Star game for Willie Mays.")
- 1954 NL Batting Champion
- Four-time NL home run leader
Did you know....the Giants ballpark is currently located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, with a statue of Willie outside surrounded by 24 palm trees, and a right-field wall that stands at 24-feet high, all in honor of Willie?
(photo courtesy of sanfranciso.giants.mlb.com)
giants
I idolized "Say Hey" Willie Mays when I was a small boy. He finished out his career with the New York Mets when I was just old enough to start seriously following baseball back in the early-1970s. I watched a lot of games with my Dad back then, and loved the World Series' of the era (and especially those won by the Oakland Athletics). It's a very different feeling today, though in some respects baseball's much better in the current age (season-round TV coverage, for example).
ReplyDeleteHe's definitely got my vote. If he played today managers would be going crazy with his basket style catches. But he played when the game was more fun and less juiced....
ReplyDeleteGotta love the Sey Hey Kid - good choice. Looking forward to #25. Any chance we can have a say with another poll?
Thanks for the comments. Yes, we'll have another poll here soon!
ReplyDeleteMy vote for best baseball player ever. Wish he taught his godson a little bit more class.
ReplyDeleteWillie Mays takes it but how about an honorable mention to Rickey Henderson. Boy was a base theif!!
ReplyDeleteGood baseball player, never gonna forget that basket catch.But he blew my dad off when he was a kid... so much for idol
ReplyDeletekobe bryant definitely deserves his spot even after changingfm number 8.
ReplyDelete"Say Hey" belongs at the top, no matter how much my Green and Gold heart loves the greatest leadoff man of all times, Rickey "The Man of Steal" Henderson.
ReplyDeleteken griffey jr. deserves some credit here....clean player, class act, and well acclamated with numerous awards and accomplishments
ReplyDeleteI agree. Willie Mays and Ken Griffey Jr., statistically, are almost mirrors of each other-- Same averages, home runs, gold gloves. Almost identical.
DeleteWow, lots of great outfielders to wear 24: Mays, Henderson, Griffey Jr., Ramirez... Mays takes it easy though.
ReplyDeleteKobe's 24 too !
ReplyDeleteYep, you're correct. But he also wore number 8 and I've given him that honor for the best NBA athlete to wear number 8: http://www.bestbythenumbers.com/2011/06/nba-athlete-number-8-kobe-bryant.html
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