I'm 75 years-old and a long time diehard baseball fan. Willie Mays was the greatest all-around player I ever saw, no doubt about it. Dan, your dad was correct, Willie Mays did things like no other player. He had a charisma about him that put him above everyone else, along with the talent that made him the best.
Willie was the greatest who ever played the game of baseball. No one ever had the passion for the game like Willie did. When I was a kid, I saw him hit a home run, and it was the biggest thrill of my life. Thank you Willie for all the happy memories and the joy you brought me. And finally, I am proud that Willie is from the same home town in Alabama as I am, Fairfield, AL.
My dad was vendor at Candlestick from 1960, i was a 6 year old kid. My favorite memory of Mays was when i was 8 or 9 was my conversion with him and i was so excited that when i went to school the next day i told everyone. The kids were saying "What did he say" and with pride i told them he said "hey kid get off the fence" lol
When my father took me to Candlestick from near Santa Barbara, it was a long drive for us. Probably 350 miles. And when Willie took the Center field position to warm up, now and then he would turn and face us and ask if we were ready to see some baseball. But I know Willie was only asking me and nobody else. He was that Special to me. I saw him play near a dozen times over 4 years of driving up to his park and we only sat in the cheap bleacher seats, BUT our Willie played right in front of me. RIP Mr. Mays. ✝🙏👏🤗⚾
It was a privilege to have seen Willie play during his breakout ,MVP 1954 season-11 years later,he was MVP again.res ipsa loquitur--"the thing speaks for itself.Rest in Peace
“You May Run Like Mays But You Hit Like $hit!” I grew up on stories of Mantle, Mays, Clemente, Joe D, Williams & many more from my father. Willie was special!
“A couple of years in the military”, which in Willie’s case probably meant he’d hit as many as a hundred more home runs or 760 total. The two best natural home run hitters were Mays and Teddy Ballgame, who sacrificed 5 prime years yet still hit 525 career.
On the back of Willie Mays's 1952 Topps baseball card when he was 21 years old, it lists him as 5' 10-1/2" and 170 pounds. He was smaller than me when I was 21 and he hit over 600 home runs. He would probably be one of the smallest guys on any ML roster today.
@@fml5910 Mays was a better all around player than Aaron.. he could field better, run better and without missing almost two full seasons in the military he most likely would have broken Ruths record first... he was only 54 short easily attainable in two seasons ... but to each his own
@@fml5910 yes when aaron rounds the bases he gets a bit nervous when those two guys maybe one i cant remember but a guy comes out onto the base path and you could see Aaron just wants to get to home plate.
The Icon played with W. McCovey & B. Bonds. He also played with numerous Latinos like O. Cepeda & Juan Marichal and the Alou brothers from the Dominican Republic & P.R.
Mays is THE best all time. This is one of those rare instances where traditional metrics (AVG., HR's, Stolen Bases, MVP's) and advanced metrics (WAR's, RSA, etc.) converge to basically agree that he was the best ever. The only person remotely close to him is Babe, who... let's be honest... played when black people were not allowed to play. By basically every other standard, he was simply THE best ever. Take WARs for example. He had a 10-WAR season six times in his career. (Ruth had 7, but was not as good a runner or fielder) Then take Mike Trout - easily the best player of our generation. Trout has 2. That's it. Willie Mays had SIX seasons of 10-WAR while the ENTIRE LEAGUE today has 3 in total (2 by Trout, 1 by Mookie Betts). That was a level of dominance we simply can't replicate. AND... he did this only 4 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, so we have to reasonably assume he dealt with all sorts of racism and shit like that... I can go on and on. I never saw him play... but I am not stupid. I can appreciate both traditional AND advanced statistics and I can't find any reasonable argument for anyone better than him. It's actually quite easy to say. Mays was the GOAT.
Centre field in the Polo Grounds was 483 feet. It was a great catch, especially given the situation, but Willie always said the throw back to the infield was a better play. In terms of great Willie Mays catches, that one wasn't even in the top ten. Think about that! Best defensive play ever. Best all-around-player ever. If he had played anywhere other than Candlestick and had not missed those two seasons when he was in the military, he would have easily hit 800 home runs.
Mays got the basket catch from the great Negro League star Gene Benson, who was Jackie Robinson's last teammate in the Negro League (Caracas, Venezuela)."
Tim Kirchen has it exactly right about Willie Mays. Getting his Topps baseball card was like winning a baseball lottery. Other kids would trade every card in their set for Willie Mays.
That's not fair to him for you to say that. He had more of a personal relationship with Jerry West, than he did with Willie Mays. Think before you speak, it will help you to not act/be so inappropriate less times in life...🤨
What a bizarre, toxic comment to make when everyone else is celebrating this iconic man. Dan Patrick is obviously a basketball lover at heart and Jerry West was his personal hero. To expect him to weep when every legendary sports figure dies is ridiculous and childish.
@purplemonkeydishwasher4241 That's the biggest problem I have with the Internet. It's aloud people to say things to others, that they wouldn't have the courage to say it in person...😐
I'm 75 years-old and a long time diehard baseball fan. Willie Mays was the greatest all-around player I ever saw, no doubt about it. Dan, your dad was correct, Willie Mays did things like no other player. He had a charisma about him that put him above everyone else, along with the talent that made him the best.
Willie was the greatest who ever played the game of baseball. No one ever had the passion for the game like Willie did. When I was a kid, I saw him hit a home run, and it was the biggest thrill of my life. Thank you Willie for all the happy memories and the joy you brought me. And finally, I am proud that Willie is from the same home town in Alabama as I am, Fairfield, AL.
My dad was vendor at Candlestick from 1960, i was a 6 year old kid. My favorite memory of Mays was when i was 8 or 9 was my conversion with him and i was so excited that when i went to school the next day i told everyone. The kids were saying "What did he say" and with pride i told them he said "hey kid get off the fence" lol
I’m not a baseball fan but this was awesome to listen to. Beautiful tribute. Love listening to sports history like this
This is what makes me so sad about Dan's upcoming retirement. There is no other sports broadcaster who can fill this gap
He should hand it to Jeff Passan and maybe they’ll finally talk about baseball more
When my father took me to Candlestick from near Santa Barbara, it was a long drive for us. Probably 350 miles. And when Willie took the Center field position to warm up, now and then he would turn and face us and ask if we were ready to see some baseball. But I know Willie was only asking me and nobody else. He was that Special to me. I saw him play near a dozen times over 4 years of driving up to his park and we only sat in the cheap bleacher seats, BUT our Willie played right in front of me. RIP Mr. Mays. ✝🙏👏🤗⚾
Jerry West and now Willie Mays 😢
Two icons
And bill Walton
Both lived perfectly full lives. Not like they died suddenly in their 20s
@@bobbenbrown123 Nobody said they did, Bobby Brown
R.I.P.
It was a privilege to have seen Willie play during his breakout ,MVP 1954 season-11 years later,he was MVP again.res ipsa loquitur--"the thing speaks for itself.Rest in Peace
The GREAT Willie Mays “THE SAY HEY KID” Thanks for the MEMORIES.
Awesome Mr. Patrick. Thank you !!!
“You May Run Like Mays But You Hit Like $hit!” I grew up on stories of Mantle, Mays, Clemente, Joe D, Williams & many more from my father. Willie was special!
Every time I hear that call or watch the video of Willie's catch, it gives me goose bumps!
“A couple of years in the military”, which in Willie’s case probably meant he’d hit as many as a hundred more home runs or 760 total. The two best natural home run hitters were Mays and Teddy Ballgame, who sacrificed 5 prime years yet still hit 525 career.
Rip my man 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭no words just rip and thank you for everything ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Correction, he was a 24 x All Star
Dan, I saw Mays homer off Koufax -- 8/22/65, deep left center field seats.
Really good tribute to Willie Mays. Love it.
My first good glove was a MacGregor Henry Aaron model.
R.I.P. Willie Mays.
On the back of Willie Mays's 1952 Topps baseball card when he was 21 years old, it lists him as 5' 10-1/2" and 170 pounds. He was smaller than me when I was 21 and he hit over 600 home runs. He would probably be one of the smallest guys on any ML roster today.
Size doesn't make you good or bad. It's what you can do with it.
@@felixmadison5736 is that what your girlfriend tells you to make you feel good about yourself?
@@rocketscience777999 No, but that's what your wife said she tells you because you get so depressed over your small 'stature'.
It ain't rocket science.
@@felixmadison5736 your wife had no complaints about mine tho.
Willie mays is a top 5, maybe even top 3 players of all time.
He's the number 1 player of all time. Bar none.
Do you also rank Barry Bonds up there, or do you think steroids disqualify him?
@@fml5910 Mays was a better all around player than Aaron.. he could field better, run better and without missing almost two full seasons in the military he most likely would have broken Ruths record first... he was only 54 short easily attainable in two seasons ... but to each his own
@@someguy7424 bonds is the greatest player ever, roids or not.
@@fml5910 yes when aaron rounds the bases he gets a bit nervous when those two guys maybe one i cant remember but a guy comes out onto the base path and you could see Aaron just wants to get to home plate.
The Icon played with W. McCovey & B. Bonds. He also played with numerous Latinos like O. Cepeda & Juan Marichal and the Alou brothers from the Dominican Republic & P.R.
And no steroids. RIP Willie
Unlike Barry Bonds 😂😂
Mays is THE best all time. This is one of those rare instances where traditional metrics (AVG., HR's, Stolen Bases, MVP's) and advanced metrics (WAR's, RSA, etc.) converge to basically agree that he was the best ever. The only person remotely close to him is Babe, who... let's be honest... played when black people were not allowed to play. By basically every other standard, he was simply THE best ever.
Take WARs for example. He had a 10-WAR season six times in his career. (Ruth had 7, but was not as good a runner or fielder)
Then take Mike Trout - easily the best player of our generation. Trout has 2. That's it. Willie Mays had SIX seasons of 10-WAR while the ENTIRE LEAGUE today has 3 in total (2 by Trout, 1 by Mookie Betts).
That was a level of dominance we simply can't replicate. AND... he did this only 4 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, so we have to reasonably assume he dealt with all sorts of racism and shit like that... I can go on and on. I never saw him play... but I am not stupid. I can appreciate both traditional AND advanced statistics and I can't find any reasonable argument for anyone better than him. It's actually quite easy to say. Mays was the GOAT.
Centre field in the Polo Grounds was 483 feet. It was a great catch, especially given the situation, but Willie always said the throw back to the infield was a better play. In terms of great Willie Mays catches, that one wasn't even in the top ten. Think about that! Best defensive play ever. Best all-around-player ever. If he had played anywhere other than Candlestick and had not missed those two seasons when he was in the military, he would have easily hit 800 home runs.
Mays got the basket catch from the great Negro League star Gene Benson, who was Jackie Robinson's last teammate in the Negro League (Caracas, Venezuela)."
How dare you call Willie Mays a copycat 😮
Tim Kirchen has it exactly right about Willie Mays. Getting his Topps baseball card was like winning a baseball lottery. Other kids would trade every card in their set for Willie Mays.
the basket catch
RIP Mr. Mays.
RIP #24 🤎🖤
I have no idea who that is
Willie Mays.........n'uff said!!!!
Wow Dan only talks about baseball when Willie mays dies. So better enjoy this video.
Got to break up the lakers talk somehow.
Freaking Rob Dibble
24 x All-star
They come in 3's
Does Bill Walton count?
He was better then mantal
Maud always d
Dan couldn’t weep for a black man
That's not fair to him for you to say that. He had more of a personal relationship with Jerry West, than he did with Willie Mays. Think before you speak, it will help you to not act/be so inappropriate less times in life...🤨
True sorry to say but Willie would forgive Dan
Jerry west was his idol.
What a bizarre, toxic comment to make when everyone else is celebrating this iconic man. Dan Patrick is obviously a basketball lover at heart and Jerry West was his personal hero. To expect him to weep when every legendary sports figure dies is ridiculous and childish.
@purplemonkeydishwasher4241 That's the biggest problem I have with the Internet. It's aloud people to say things to others, that they wouldn't have the courage to say it in person...😐
Willie is THE greatest player ever retire his number forever.