This Day in Sports History: Giants Trade Willie Mays to Mets

The Giants sent Willie Mays back to New York in a trade with the Mets on May 11, 1972.

Willie Mays spent more than 21 seasons of his MLB career with the Giants, which included the team's move from New York to San Francisco. But in the twilight of Mays's career, the club sent its aging star centerfielder back to the east coast in a trade with the Mets on May 11, 1972.

At 41 years old, Mays's performance was declining and he saw less time in the Giants' starting lineup despite his $165,000 salary. His numbers had dropped, and he started the season hitting .184 in 19 games with San Francisco. However, the Mets showed interested in Mays because of his star status, and the Giants saw the opportunity for a trade. 

"We need pitching and I know we can't get Tom Seaver from the Mets, but we'd have to get frontline pitching," Giants president Horace C. Stoneham told The New York Times on May 6, 1972, about a potential deal.

Five days later, the Mets sent pitcher Charlie Williams to San Francisco in exchange for Mays. Coincidentally, Williams had earned his first major league win in June 1971 by pitching the last five innings of a 5–2 victory over Mays and the Giants at Candlestick Park.

Mays's storied MLB career came to an end after the 1973 season. He finished with a career .302 batting average and 660 home runs–third-most in the league at the time of his retirement. Considered one of baseball's greatest five-tool players, Mays won two National League MVP awards and 12 Gold Gloves and played in 24 All-Star Games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.