I had a random meet with Willie Mays at a tiny gas stop near Pittsburgh in abt 1978. He asked for directions to a charity golf tournament at a small golf club far down the road. I was flabbergasted but didn't show it...until I tried to speak. I tried to form words, but I could only make weird noises. So, I pointed in the direction he was already travelling. He was gracious.
‘But remember, the Giants by then were in San Fran and home games often started about 10:30 in the east. So I’d have to take my radio to bed and listen, sometimes under the covers as my parents would not necessarily approve.’
Same same! (but in northern New Jersey)
And that 73 playoff against the Reds, the Rose-Harrelson bench clearing brawl in game 3… I had grown up a Mets fan (since my dad was a Yankees fanatic) and vividly remember Willie, along with Yogi, Seaver, Rusty Staub, and Cleon Jones, going out to left field to settle the fans who had been throwing stuff, mainly at Rose, and after Sparky Anderson pulled his team off the field.
My sports hero as well. I’ve been a committed Giants fan since ‘62 when I decide Willie Mays was a lot hipper than Mickey Mantle — and have lived & died with the team ever since. Simply put, Willie’s the MLB consensus as being “the greatest All-around player ever”. So many fond memories…
The Catch. The optical illusion … https://youtu.be/zr2KX57tpZE?feature=shared
I had a random meet with Willie Mays at a tiny gas stop near Pittsburgh in abt 1978. He asked for directions to a charity golf tournament at a small golf club far down the road. I was flabbergasted but didn't show it...until I tried to speak. I tried to form words, but I could only make weird noises. So, I pointed in the direction he was already travelling. He was gracious.
‘But remember, the Giants by then were in San Fran and home games often started about 10:30 in the east. So I’d have to take my radio to bed and listen, sometimes under the covers as my parents would not necessarily approve.’
Same same! (but in northern New Jersey)
And that 73 playoff against the Reds, the Rose-Harrelson bench clearing brawl in game 3… I had grown up a Mets fan (since my dad was a Yankees fanatic) and vividly remember Willie, along with Yogi, Seaver, Rusty Staub, and Cleon Jones, going out to left field to settle the fans who had been throwing stuff, mainly at Rose, and after Sparky Anderson pulled his team off the field.
My first baseball cards were Willie Mays. My dad gave them to me.
My sports hero as well. I’ve been a committed Giants fan since ‘62 when I decide Willie Mays was a lot hipper than Mickey Mantle — and have lived & died with the team ever since. Simply put, Willie’s the MLB consensus as being “the greatest All-around player ever”. So many fond memories…
The say hey kid has hit the last one out of the park.
Willie's left the ballpark, but he's forever in the game. He was my boyhood hero, too. Still is.
I read Einstein's "Willie's Time" years ago. But didn't know about "Born to Play Ball."