Willie Mays: The Father Of Baseball

Willie Mays once said, “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.” Willie Mays that gave all that he had and took criticism because he was black. He would always show up to the games to support his team even if he was benched.

Willie Mays was born on May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama. His mother was Ann and his father was William. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mays were athletic. Mr. Mays played baseball on the all-black teams of the south, as did his father before him. Mrs. Mays had been a champion sprinter when she was in school (Academy of Achievement).

When he

was growing up, his father worked in a steel mill, and played on a semi- professional team was sponsored by the mill. He began teaching Willie to catch a ball even before he could walk. Willie’s parents divorced when he was only three years old. Willie lived with his father and his neighbor’s two daughters named Sarah and Ernestine. He called them Aunt, which was his way of showing love and respect (Academy of Achievement).
When Willie was twelve he fell out of a tree and broke his right arm.

When his arm healed, it was very strong. Before his arm was broken he threw underhanded, now he is throwing the ball overhand and his throws were faster, stronger, and more accurate.

Willie and his family moved to Birmingham, Alabama. He played baseball with his father on the Industrial League. He also played for The Birmingham Black Barons, one of the top Negro Leagues. (pg.3 Sabin,

Louis).
In 1947 at the age of 16 Willie joined the Birmingham Barons of the Negro Leagues. At 17 he joined the Chattanooga Choo Choo’s an unofficial minor league for the Negro Leagues. May’s was still in high school and could play only on Sunday when school was in session. His pay was $250 a month and a $50 bonus every month he went over his batting average of .300 (pg.13 Linge, Mary Kay).
Willie moved to the Minneapolis Millers a triple a team. His batting average was .477 after 35 games. He had 38 hits and 63 at bats for an incredible .608 average. He also collected 18 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, and 30 RBI’s. Finally Willie was brought up to the New York Giants, a major league team, at age 22 (Academy of Achievement).
Leo Durocher from the Giants had faith in his young centerfielder, while others were afraid to draft him Other managers might have panicked and sent the rookie back to the minors. Mays broke his hitless streak with a blasted home run over the left field roof. It took another 13 at-bats for Mays to get his second major league hit, but he soon got the hang of hitting major league pitching and hit another nigh teen home runs before the season ended. His spectacular fielding made headlines the next day. The Giants won the National League Pennant. Willie was The Rookie of the Year and he had 22 doubles, five triples, 20 home runs and a .274 batting average (pg.16 Linge, Mary Kay).
Batters began wearing helmets. Beanballs and brushbacks were part of the game already. By the early 1960s, most major leagues were a helmet. Willie did not like the batting helmet because he felt it was uncomfortable and would not last. In spring training of 1962, Mays was required to wear a helmet. He did not like this but he did it stating “I’ll wear it until it falls off.” (Pg.346 Hirsch, James S.)
Willie was drafted into the Army. He was sent to Camp Eustis, Florida. He was assigned to help train other recruits get into fighting shape. Willie was able to continue to play baseball for the “Army League”. His batting average was .420. Willie broke his ankle while playing baseball, the Giants were not happy. His team failed to win the pennant the two seasons he was absent (Academy of Achievement).
Willie returned home and eager to play baseball.

He was on fire and had a batting average of .300. He leads the Giants to the World Series against the Cleveland Indians. The Giants won the Series in four games in row, the first of which turned on an extraordinary over-the-shoulder catch by Mays. Although this is still one of the most talked-about plays in baseball history, the personal favorite of Mays himself is an incredible flying catch he made in the 1955 All-Star game. August 8, 1954 was Willie Mays Day. He earned the National League MVP Award (pg. 88 Doeden, Matt).

Mays enjoyed young children, he wanted to visit hospitals, school for the blind, just meeting kids and he drove a couple of kids to the ballpark in his Cadillac convertible. Mays always received a lot of fan letters. How said “you can’t tell the difference between a kid and a grownup writing to you” because the mail from grownups comes in when you are doing well. When you’re in a slump it’s the kids who really pick you up (pg.370 Hirsch, James

S.).
This was not a good year for the Giants or Willie. Willie was benched for not helping the club. He would get it together and his batting average was .319, fifty-one home runs, and twenty-four stolen bases. By the end of the season his batting average was .296, thirty-six home runs, and a league high of forty stolen bases. The Giants ended in sixth place. Willie wasn’t having any fun playing the game that he once loved. Willie married Marguerite Wendell in February of 1956 (pg.17 Grabowski, John).
There were three baseball teams in New York. The Giants moved to San Francisco, California. The Dodgers would move to Los Angeles, California. Now only leaving the Yankees in New York. Willie moved to California but he did not feel very welcome even though he made league history. In a single season he hit twenty home runs, twenty doubles, and twenty triples ( Pg.25 Doeden, Matt).