top 5'er.....

he had been ill and declined a trip to the negro leagues stadium game here soon.....

anyway, he's with jim morrison now.

- el KKM

One of the great players from my earliest memories of watching and playing baseball as a kid during the era of other greats like Mickey Mantle, Roberto Clemente, Stan Musial, Sandy Koufax, etc. During his prime I doubt there was a better all around athlete in the game of baseball.

fubar said:

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My first favorite player, though he was getting close to the end when I discovered baseball.

RIP Willie. Say Hey to Hank for me.

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I started watching MLB when CBS owned the Yankees, hence my idol was Mantle. Even so, never thought it was much of a rivalry. Mantle would hit the ball, and I would think, maybe I could swing the bat like that (I did try...). Mays, however, did things at the plate and in the field that would make you ask, "how is that even possible?" The greatest all-around player ever.

El Oso said:

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93 years old. Breaking news from this afternoon.

He was a 24-time All-Star, tied for second most of all time, and won 12 Golden Glove awards.

Mays was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, receiving 97% of the vote when he became eligible in 1979.

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For a number of decades there was one or 2 sportswriters who didn't believe anyone should get a unanimous vote for HOF. If you can't see Willie Mays in the Hall, close up Cooperstown, no one is worthy.

RIP Willie