Willie Mays just died at 93.
One of the best ball players in history
All our heroes when we were kids are dying.
One of the best ball players in history
All our heroes when we were kids are dying.
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Willie Mays
- Thread starter tomwvr
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Yeah, Willie was amazing. I am too young to have seen him play, but growing up playing baseball, being a big baseball fan, and studying the greats of the game, he had all the tools you want in a player. When you are playing baseball, who didn't want to make a catch like he made? I made a few like that in my life and I would be lying if it didn't feel lucky when that ball landed perfectly in your glove and you squeezed it. You are just running and you throw your glove out in what you hope is the right spot. Also, most of us catch that ball with our arm extended just reaching out, which is where the "luck" comes in. But with Willie, he caught that ball at eye level meaning he watched it the whole way into his glove. And he had his second hand there too. Just an amazing and iconic play. And seeing it at that time must have been amazing. You just didn't see that.
As far as big name players dying, Mays was one the last of his era that was still alive. Sandy Koufax and Bill Mazeroski may be some of the only ones from the 50s and 60s remaining. I may be missing someone, but when you think about the greatest players still living, I think we are up to the era of the Big Red Machine in the 70s. The great players from the 50s and 60s are all gone. Even guys like Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, and Hank Aaron who saw their success go into the 70s are gone.
I was curious so I looked it up. These are the 22 oldest living baseball hall of famers. We are definitely entering the 1970s with a lot of these names.
Luis Aparicio, Sandy Koufax, Bill Mazeroski, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, Billy Williams, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, Carl Yastrzemski, Joe Torre, Bobby Cox, Tony Perez, Fergie Jenkins, Tony La Russa, Steve Carlton, Rod Carew, Jim Palmer, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk
Source:
As far as big name players dying, Mays was one the last of his era that was still alive. Sandy Koufax and Bill Mazeroski may be some of the only ones from the 50s and 60s remaining. I may be missing someone, but when you think about the greatest players still living, I think we are up to the era of the Big Red Machine in the 70s. The great players from the 50s and 60s are all gone. Even guys like Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, and Hank Aaron who saw their success go into the 70s are gone.
I was curious so I looked it up. These are the 22 oldest living baseball hall of famers. We are definitely entering the 1970s with a lot of these names.
Luis Aparicio, Sandy Koufax, Bill Mazeroski, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, Billy Williams, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, Carl Yastrzemski, Joe Torre, Bobby Cox, Tony Perez, Fergie Jenkins, Tony La Russa, Steve Carlton, Rod Carew, Jim Palmer, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk
Source:
The Oldest Living Major League Baseball Players | Baseball Almanac
The 1,000 Oldest living Major League Baseball players, by Baseball Almanac.
www.baseball-almanac.com
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