Watch Giants, Yankees Announcers Speak on Willie Mays' Passing

Baseball legend Willie Mays died on Tuesday while the San Francisco Giants were playing the Chicago Cubs.

Jun 4, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Baseball hall of famers Monte Irvin (left) and Willie Mays (right) and members of the San Francisco Giants listen during a ceremony honoring the World Series champion Giants in the East Room at the White House. / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The baseball world lost one of the greatest players in the game’s history when San Francisco Giants legend Willie Mays died on Tuesday at 93.

The news was released by the team in the evening as the Giants were in the middle of their game with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

That left it to Giants announcer Jon Miller, one of the game’s legendary play-by-play voices, to break the news to his listeners and viewers on NBC Bay Area and NBC Sports Bay Area.

As one might expect from a Ford Frick winner for baseball broadcast excellence, Miller handled it with grace.

“The Giants’ release said ‘It is with great sadness that we announce that Giants legend and Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away peacefully this afternoon,” Miller said. “Michael Mays, Willie’s son, was quoted as saying, ‘My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones.’”

Jon Miller took a moment during the broadcast to acknowledge the passing of Willie Mays pic.twitter.com/4ZcXDouOfZ

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 19, 2024

Later in the game at Wrigley Field — which is one of the few stadiums that still exits from his career — his passing was announced which led to a standing ovation from the crowd.

Wrigley Field holds a moment of silence for Willie Mays pic.twitter.com/C4GOwIgbta

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 19, 2024

Michael Kay, the play-by-play voice for the New York Yankees, told his viewers about Mays’ death during the Yankees’ game with the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium.

“Willie Mays was considered one of the best players that ever lived,” Kay said. “You could make the argument that he might have been the best ever, most athletic. He played with the Giants in New York, in San Francisco and finished his career with the New York Mets. It’s a sad day in baseball. We lost one of the best.”

Willie Mays passed away this afternoon. @RealMichaelKay pays tribute to the Hall of Famer's life. pic.twitter.com/izcodfSWej

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) June 19, 2024

Mays was born in Westfield, Ala., but his favorite player growing up was Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio.

Mays was signed by the Giants while they were still in New York and he started his Major League career in 1951. He spent the vast majority of his career with the Giants before he was traded to the New York Mets in 1972, where he finished his career in 1973.

Mays was a 24-time All-Star, a two-time National League MVP, the NL Rookie of the Year, a 12-time Gold Glove winner, a .302 career hitter with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs.

He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1979 and his number, 24, is retired by both the Giants and the Mets.