RETIRED baseball player Willie Mays is widely considered one of the most noteworthy athletes in the league’s history.
Willie and his achievements are recognized by MLB contemporaries such as Aaron Judge, Pete Alonso, and Mike Trout.
Who is Willie Mays?
Born on May 6, 1931, Willie Mays is an American baseball player from Westfield, Alabama.
Baseball fans also refer to him by the nicknames “The Say Hey Kid” and “Buck.”
In 1948, he was drafted by the Negro American League as a player for the Birmingham Black Barons.
On May 24, 1951, the MLB selected Willie to play centerfield for the New York Giants, who have since rebranded as the San Francisco Giants.
He stuck with the SF Giants for 20 years until he was traded to the opposite coast.
In May 1972, the team traded him to the NY Mets in exchange for late pitcher Charlie Williams.
On September 20, 1973, Willie retired from the MLB and announced that year’s baseball season was his last.
His retirement from the league followed a career that spanned 21 total seasons.
Since then, the famed centerfielder’s legacy has been recognized consistently through later decades.
What is Willie’s net worth?
On January 23, 1979, Willie was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
While receiving the honor, he reflected on his career and shared with the crowd: “What can I say? This country is made up of a great many things. You can grow up to be what you want. I chose baseball, and I loved every minute of it.
“I give you one wordâlove. It means dedication. You have to sacrifice many things to play baseball.
“I sacrificed a bad marriage and I sacrificed a good marriage. But I’m here today because baseball is my number one love.”
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Willie amassed an estimated fortune of $3million.
He is also a 24-time MLB All-Star, a World Series champion, and 12-time Golden Glove winner.
How can I watch the Willie Mays documentary?
On November 8, 2022, baseball fans can revisit Willie’s career in his eponymous documentary titled Say Hey, Willie Mays!
That Tuesday, the feature is scheduled to premiere at 9pm EST on HBO and will be available on HBO Max.
Regarding the documentary, the Hall of Famer told Deadline: “Some say that throughout my life I have inspired others, but the truth is that so many have done this for me.
“My teammates, my friends, and of course the fans mean so much to me.
“So I hope this documentary can give back to all of them something enjoyable and inspiring in return.”
