Willie Mays

Willie Mays playing for the New York Giantshttps://sabr.org/bioproj/person/64f5dfa2Today in baseball, there are hundreds of negro major league baseball players that are treated like ordinary baseball players, but it wasn’t always that way. Willie Mays was one of the best ball-players of his generation. Although he was a good all-around player, he wasn’t often respected like one. In his early years, he was often told he couldn’t join the team because he was black. Mays pitched and played outfield for his father's mill team and for a semi-professional team, earning him about $100 a month. Mays tried out for the Black Barons in 1948. After high school, the New York Giants signed him a contract, but had to play in the class B interstate league instead because of racial issues. In 1952, he joined the U.S. Army, and later in his career, won the National League MVP. A hero must possess determination to keep him and the skills the hero learned . Willie Mays is a hero because he was determined to continue to play baseball and has the courage to not quit when an obstacle like race gets in the way. Willie Mays possesses determination and skills because he never wanted to quit baseball, even after people doubted him because of the color of his skin therefore, deserving him the title of a hero.

Willie Mays Famous Basket Catchhttps://www.si.com/specials/100-greatest/?q=85-mays-amazesWillie Mays was a hero because he set an example for black people who were disrespected. He gave the negro people in this time period hope and gave others the chance to play the great game of baseball. He was one of, if not the best all around baseball players, meaning that he can hit with contact and  power, steal bases, field, and throw well. Not many players in baseball history showed that they had these skills like Mays did. “Mays batted .302 over his career, stole 338 bases, drove in 1,903 runs, and hit 660 home runs, third on the all time list” (Gietschier 12). In Mays long career, Mays hit tons of home runs, showing he has contact and power, stole a ton of bases with his speed, and robed batters of sure hits. Many players only had 2 or 3 of the skills Mays had, which is what made his so special. But probably the most famous play he ever made came in the first game of the World Series. “The Indians were playing the Yankees at the Polo Grounds, when Vic Wertz hit a towering drive into center field. Mays ran back for what seemed forever, and made a basket catch, firing the ball back to second to get the runner trying to go to home” (Russel 8). This was one of the most legendary plays the game ever saw, and was one of the reasons he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. The New York crowd loved him, but once he got traded to the San Francisco Giants, it wasn’t the same. Fans weren't as supportive of him as New York was. Either way, Mays was one of the best defensive and offensive players ever in baseball, making him a big hero in the baseball world.

Mays Joins the US Armyhttps://www.gettyimages.comIn his early years, Mays was determined to make it to the major leagues because he believed in himself and the skills he had learned. Although Mays got signed on the Giants, he was sent to an interstate B league team because of racial issues. But Mays never lost sight in his goal. “The Giants assigned Mays to their Trenton Class B Interstate League, where he batted .353 in eighty-one games and led the league's outfielders in assists” (Gietschier 6). Even though people disrespected Mays because of his skin color, Willie Mays didn’t let them get in his head, and continued to play the game and attract the attention of teams and the league. There were 3 black outfielders including Mays in the 1951 world series, which angered people and would often leave angry notes in the press boxes. Even though the country didn’t have a lot of respect for him, Mays had a strong respect for his country. He left baseball for a couple years to join the U.S. Army to fight for his country. “In 1952 and 1953 Mays served in the U. S. Army, but he returned to baseball in 1954 to play one of his best seasons ever” (Russell 5). This shows Willie Mays wasn’t just a hero in the baseball world, but he was also a national hero and served for his country. Even though he knew joining the Army had its risks with injury, they assigned him of being the coach of the Army baseball team. He was even able to improve his skills and teach others his knowledge of baseball while he was in the Army. Mays wasn’t just a great all-around player, but he was also a great all around person. He was humbling, even when times were rough, and always found a time to be a hero whether he was on the baseball field or an Army camp.

Willie Mays Hits a Dingerhttps://www.achievement.org/achiever/willie-mays/Willie Mays showed he was a hero on and off the baseball field through skills and determination by always improving on his game, teaching others, and improving his own skills. Mays was one of, if not the greatest ball players in his lifetime. Although he is still alive today, it’s still safe to say he is one of the best out there, but that doesn't make him a hero. He is a hero because of how inspiring he is to me and other people who love the game of baseball. He is so inspiring because he was chosen to be on the All-Century team, and Sporting News ranked him the second best player of all time, only behind Babe Ruth. But he was also inspiring by fighting for our country and joining the Army. And when people asked him why he didn’t support the civil rights movement, he responded with, “I don't picket in the streets of Birmingham," he said, "I'm not mad at the people who do. Maybe they shouldn't be mad at the people who don't". This shows how humble he is and has the same traits as MLK. Mays was inducted into the Black Hall of Fame in 1974, and in 1979 he was the sole player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and only the ninth to succeed on the first nomination. In 1980 he was inducted into the San Francisco Hall of Fame. That same year he received the A. Philip Randolph Award. He was arguably the most awarded player in baseball to this date, but real heroes don’t need awards to show how amazing they are. Mays showed it through the game of baseball.

Works Cited

Smith, Jessie Carney. “Willie Mays.” Biography In Context, Notable Black American Men , 6 Feb. 2018, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1622000300/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=85e3dc42.

Thaddeus, Russell. “Willie Mays.” Biography In Context, Encyclopedia of African American Culture and History, 6 Feb. 2018, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K3444700821/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=0a979c0f.

Barnes, Dana R. “Willie Howard Mays.” Biography In Context, Notable Sports Figures, 6 Feb. 2018, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K2440301340/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=cf378940

“Willie Mays.” Edited by Arnold Markoe, Biography In Context, The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, 6 Feb. 2018, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K3436500399/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=a776e908.