Willie Mays speaks on his decision to retire from baseball in 1973

On Sept. 20, 1973, Willie Mays spoke to the media about his decision to retire from baseball.

Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, died on June 18, 2024. He was 93.

Mays' family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced on June 18, 2024, he had passed away.

“My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones,” son Michael Mays said in a statement released by the club. “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life’s blood.”

The center fielder was baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. His signature basket catch and his dashes around the bases with his cap flying off personified the joy of the game. His over-the shoulder catch of a long drive in the 1954 World Series is baseball’s most celebrated defensive feat.

Mays died two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to honor the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

FULL STORY: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/nat...