Mets' Legend, New York City Icon Passes Away

Arguably the game's greatest living player has passed away.

Aug 27, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; The New York Mets retired the number 24 for former Major League Baseball player Willie Mays at their Old Timers Day game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The game of baseball has lost a giant.

Willie Mays, one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, has passed away at the age of 93, the San Francisco Giants announced.

It is with great sadness that we announce that San Francisco Giants Legend and Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away peacefully this afternoon at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/Qk4NySCFZQ

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 19, 2024

Nicknamed "The Say Hey Kid", Mays is widely remembered as an icon of New York City; after spending 21 seasons with the Giants, including six seasons in New York, the center fielder played his final two seasons with the New York Mets, retiring after their defeat in the 1973 World Series. Despite playing only two years with the franchise, Mays left a permanent mark of greatness on the Mets, with team founder Joan Payson promising to retire his number when she traded for him in 1972; the Mets fulfilled that promise on August 27, 2022.

Mays was a five-tool player who excelled in every area of the game; playing in 3,005 major league contests, he is third all-time in Wins Above Replacement (on FanGraphs) with 149.8, trailing only Babe Ruth and his godson Barry Bonds. He had a career slash line of .301/.384/.557 with a 154 wRC+, and ranks sixth all-time with 660 career home runs. In addition to his masterful hitting, Mays was one of the greatest fielders at any position in the history of the game; he won 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards in center field from 1957 to 1968, and has a defensive rating of 169.6 on FanGraphs.

As a result of his accomplishments both on and off the diamond, Mays is not only considered one of the greatest players in history, but also one of the sport's greatest ambassadors.

Thursday's MLB at Rickwood Field game will be played in his honor.

We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, one of the most exciting all-around players in the history of our sport.

Mays was a two-time MVP, 24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove Award winner, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In… pic.twitter.com/kOqxNnetg7

— MLB (@MLB) June 19, 2024