“New York was magical”: Willie Mays cherished, New York Mets retire No. 24 in honor of the Legend
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Willie Mays
Willie Mays was a 24-time MLB All-Star (1954–1973), The New York Mets decided to retire his famous baseball number, No. 24, on Saturday afternoon. He was the classic example of a 5-tool player, finished his career with a batting average of .302.
Upon Willie Mays’ retirement, he held the NL record for career runs scored (2,062). Willie Mays spent only his final two seasons with the Mets from 1972-73, late owner Joan Payson promised that she would retire his uniform number following his career.
“I want to thank Steve and Alex Cohen for making this day possible and embracing Mets history,” the 91-year-old Willie Mays said in a statement. “I can never forget the way it felt to return to New York to play for all the loyal Mets fans.”
Willie Mays added, “I’m tremendously proud I ended my career in Queens with the Mets during the ’73 World Series. It’s an honor to have my number retired in my two favorite cities — New York and San Francisco. New York was a magical place to play baseball.”
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The San Francisco Giants retired Willie Mays’ No. 24 in 1972
Willie Mays is the 13th player in Major League Baseball history to have his number retired by at least two teams. The San Francisco Giants also retired his No. 24 in 1972. He joins a group that includes Jackie Robinson (retired across MLB), Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, Carlton Fisk, Rollie Fingers, Gil Hodges, Greg Maddux, Roy Halladay, Wade Boggs.
It will honor the .312/.387/.593 slash line he had a New York Giant; toast the .345/41 HR/110 RBIs he accumulated when he won his first MVP, at 23, in 1954; exalt the greatest defensive play of them all, the one he made that fall, in the World Series against Cleveland, running down Vic Wertz’s fly ball in the deepest pocket of the Polo Grounds.
During his six seasons with the New York Giants, Mays was named an All-Star four times, won NL Rookie of the Year in 1951 and finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting three times, winning in 1954.
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Yagya Bhargava
(611 Articles Published)