Photo: New York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer, William C. Greene / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Willie Mays sits at the summit of baseball for me. Born in Alabama in 1931, he came up through the Negro leagues with the Birmingham Black Barons before redefining what a five-tool player could be: running, hitting, fielding, all at the highest level, all with visible joy. The Say Hey Kid played the game like it was a gift, and the multiple MVPs, the Gold Gloves, and finally the Presidential Medal of Freedom only frame what everyone could see. He broke barriers with sheer ability, not slogans. When he passed in 2024, it felt like losing a piece of the sport's soul, but that number 24 is forever.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Willie Mays
- Name (Japanese)
- ウィリー・メイズ
- Reading
- うぃりー・めいず
- Born
- May 6, 1931 – June 18, 2024
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Goat
- Origin
- Westfield, Alabama, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 178 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- baseball player
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Rawlings Gold Glove Award
- 2007 California Hall of Fame
- 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom
- 1954 Associated Press Athlete of the Year
- 1965 Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award
- 1954 Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Willie Mays born?
May 6, 1931 – June 18, 2024.
Where is Willie Mays from?
Willie Mays is from Westfield, Alabama, United States.
What does Willie Mays do?
Willie Mays works as baseball player.
How tall is Willie Mays?
Willie Mays is 178 cm.
Baseball player — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.