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Willie Mays Biography

Willie Mays, Athlete
Born asWillie Howard Mays, Jr.
Occup.Athlete
FromUSA
BornMarch 6, 1931
Westfield, Alabama
Age92 years
William Howard "Willie" Mays Jr., born on May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama, is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) gamer known as one of the greatest baseball gamers of all time. Mays played as a center fielder as well as was recognized for his phenomenal athleticism, abilities, and also dedication to the video game. Nicknamed "The Say Hey Kid", Mays is a 24-time All-Star and two-time National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Early Life:
Willie Mays was born to Ann and William Howard Mays Sr. His papa was a talented baseball player in the Negro organizations, and his mother was an accomplished secondary school athlete. As a youngster, Mays found out the art of playing baseball from his dad and also used his college's group in Fairfield, Alabama.

In 1948, at the age of 17, Mays signed up with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League, an all-Black baseball group. His unbelievable abilities on the field attracted the attention of precursors from different MLB teams, as well as in 1950, Mays was hired by the New York Giants.

Expert Baseball Career:
Mays made his MLB debut with the Giants on May 25, 1951, and swiftly made a credibility as a competent all-around gamer. In 1952, he was prepared right into the United States Army and missed out on a lot of the 1952 and 1953 periods. After his discharge in 1954, Mays went back to baseball and also led the Giants to a World Series champion.

His 1954 World Series catch, called "The Catch", is among one of the most well-known plays in baseball history. It showcased Mays' exceptional fielding ability and assisted protect a win for the Giants in Game 1 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians.

Mays continued to stand out as a baseball gamer throughout the 1950s and also 1960s. He made 2 NL MVP awards (in 1954 as well as 1965), led the league in crowning achievement 4 times, played in 24 All-Star Games, and obtained 12 Gold Glove Awards. Additionally, he was an important part of the Giants' action from New York to San Francisco in 1958.

After 21 seasons with the Giants, Mays was traded to the New York Mets in 1972. He retired in 1973 after a short job with the Mets, closing out his MLB career with remarkable statistics: 660 crowning achievement, 3,283 hits, as well as a. 302 batting average.

Retirement and also Legacy:
In 1979, Mays was sworn in into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his initial year of qualification, getting 94.7% of the vote. Throughout his retired life, Mays functioned as an unique aide to the president of the San Francisco Giants.

Mays likewise committed his time as well as sources to charity job, assisting underprivileged youngsters and also advertising their education. In 2016, Mays was awarded the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Throughout his amazing job, Willie Mays encountered various obstacles, consisting of racial bias as well as adapting to the altering landscape of specialist baseball. He assisted lead the way for future generations of Black baseball players and continues to be an inspiration for aspiring athletes worldwide.

Mays' effect on the video game of baseball is undeniable, and also his name is synonymous with achievement. His skill, work values, as well as commitment continue to influence countless athletes, fans, and communities.

Our collection contains 32 quotes who is written / told by Willie, under the main topic Sports.

Related authors: Alex Rodriguez (Athlete), Barry Bonds (Athlete), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete), Barack Obama (President)

Source / external links:

32 Famous quotes by Willie Mays

Small: It isnt hard to be good from time to time in sports. Whats tough is being good every day
"It isn't hard to be good from time to time in sports. What's tough is being good every day"
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Small: Im a very lucky guy. I had so many people help me over the years that I never had many problems.
"I'm a very lucky guy. I had so many people help me over the years that I never had many problems. If I had a problem, I could sit down with someone and they would explain the problem to me, and the problem become like a baseball game"
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Small: I would try and help everybody, because the game was so easy for me. It was just like walking in the pa
"I would try and help everybody, because the game was so easy for me. It was just like walking in the park"
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Small: I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw
"I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw"
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Small: Defense to me is the key to playing baseball
"Defense to me is the key to playing baseball"
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Small: Yes, I had to learn how to live life outside, but I had so many people help me
"Yes, I had to learn how to live life outside, but I had so many people help me"
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Small: I didnt say I was that smart, I said I went to class and I enjoyed what I was doing
"I didn't say I was that smart, I said I went to class and I enjoyed what I was doing"
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Small: The greatest challenge I think is adjusting to not playing baseball. The reason for that is I had to co
"The greatest challenge I think is adjusting to not playing baseball. The reason for that is I had to come out of baseball and come into the business world, not being a college graduate, not being educated to come into the business world the way I should have"
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Small: People talk about that catch and, Ive said this many times, that Ive made better catches than that many
"People talk about that catch and, I've said this many times, that I've made better catches than that many times in regular season. But of course in my time, you didn't have a lot of television during the regular season. A lot of people didn't see me do a lot of things"
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Small: In 1950, when the Giants signed me, they gave me 15,000. I bought a 1950 Mercury. I couldnt drive, but
"In 1950, when the Giants signed me, they gave me $15,000. I bought a 1950 Mercury. I couldn't drive, but I had it in the parking lot there, and everybody that could drive would drive the car. So it was like a community thing"
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Small: Every time I look at my pocketbook, I see Jackie Robinson
"Every time I look at my pocketbook, I see Jackie Robinson"
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Small: At ten I was playing against 18-year-old guys. At 15 I was playing professional ball with the Birmingha
"At ten I was playing against 18-year-old guys. At 15 I was playing professional ball with the Birmingham Black Barons, so I really came very quickly in all sports"
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Small: Maybe I was born to play ball. Maybe I truly was
"Maybe I was born to play ball. Maybe I truly was"
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Small: I was very blessed with a good body. Never got hurt. Never was in the hospital. The only time I was in
"I was very blessed with a good body. Never got hurt. Never was in the hospital. The only time I was in the hospital was when I would get exhausted a little bit, and go in for a check-up or something"
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Small: I was a baseball player, I taught baseball, and all of a sudden I was in the business world. Now I used
"I was a baseball player, I taught baseball, and all of a sudden I was in the business world. Now I used the baseball world to talk about their product. Not too much, just enough to keep going. Just be yourself and you'll never have a problem. That's what I did"
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Small: I played with the Birmingham Black Barons. I was making 500 at 14. That was a lot of money in those day
"I played with the Birmingham Black Barons. I was making 500 at 14. That was a lot of money in those days"
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Small: I dont mean to be bashful, but I was
"I don't mean to be bashful, but I was"
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Small: Baseball is a game, yes. It is also a business. But what is most truly is is disguised combat.
"Baseball is a game, yes. It is also a business. But what is most truly is is disguised combat. For all its gentility, its almost leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps"
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Small: And my father didnt have money for me to go to college. And at that particular time they didnt have bla
"And my father didn't have money for me to go to college. And at that particular time they didn't have black quarterbacks, and I don't think I could have made it in basketball, because I was only 5' 11". So I just picked baseball"
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Small: When Im not hitting, I dont hit nobody. But, when Im hitting, I hit anybody
"When I'm not hitting, I don't hit nobody. But, when I'm hitting, I hit anybody"
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Small: When I was in Birmingham I used to go to a place called Redwood Field. I used to get there for a two oc
"When I was in Birmingham I used to go to a place called Redwood Field. I used to get there for a two o'clock game. Where can you make this kind of money playing sports? It was just a pleasure to go out and enjoy myself and get paid for it"
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Small: I was very fortunate to play sports. All the anger in me went out. I had to do what I had to do.
"I was very fortunate to play sports. All the anger in me went out. I had to do what I had to do. If you stay angry all the time, then you really don't have a good life"
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Small: I dont compare em, I just catch em
"I don't compare 'em, I just catch 'em"
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Small: When I got to professional ball I used to play 150 games every year. It depends on how many games there
"When I got to professional ball I used to play 150 games every year. It depends on how many games there was"
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Small: In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to
"In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Without one-hundred percent dedication, you won't be able to do this"
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Small: I always enjoyed playing ball, and it didnt matter to me whether I played with white kids or black.
"I always enjoyed playing ball, and it didn't matter to me whether I played with white kids or black. I never understood why an issue was made of who I played with, and I never felt comfortable, when I grew up, telling other people how to act"
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Small: They throw the ball, I hit it. They hit the ball, I catch it
"They throw the ball, I hit it. They hit the ball, I catch it"
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Small: Thats how easy baseball was for me. Im not trying to brag or anything, but I had the knowledge before I
"That's how easy baseball was for me. I'm not trying to brag or anything, but I had the knowledge before I became a professional baseball player to do all these things and know what each guy would hit"
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Small: Robinson was important to all blacks. To make it into the majors and to take all the name calling, he h
"Robinson was important to all blacks. To make it into the majors and to take all the name calling, he had to be something special. He had to take all this for years, not just for Jackie Robinson, but for the nation"
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Small: Its not hard. When Im not hitting, I dont hit nobody. But when Im hitting, I hit anybody
"It's not hard. When I'm not hitting, I don't hit nobody. But when I'm hitting, I hit anybody"
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Small: If you can do that - if you run, hit, run the bases, hit with power, field, throw and do all other thin
"If you can do that - if you run, hit, run the bases, hit with power, field, throw and do all other things that are part of the game - then you're a good ballplayer"
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Small: I think I was programmed to do good things when I came into the majors. I knew how to play
"I think I was programmed to do good things when I came into the majors. I knew how to play"
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