I could listen to Bob Costas talk Baseball for hours! Mays was before my time but I believe the era between 1945-1975-80 was probably the greatest era of Baseball! R.I.P. say Hey Kid Willie Mays!
Costas is particularly pleasing to hear and listen, when speaking about Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball's historical value as well as the individual ballplayer's who set the highest standards for the values of Major League Baseball. Thank you Bob Costas in describing the valor of Willie Mays.
I was at the last game of his career and I was the first person to get his autograph after game 7 of the 73 WS. He came out of the lower section of coliseum, I shook his hand and asked for his autograph. He told me to go to his car and there were dozens of people around it. I grabbed hold of his jacket, pressed my chest into his back, and we pushed our way through the crowd. I handed him my WS ticket stub (proof of his last game), and he signed it. Tickets were $10 for upper deck.
When I was a kid in the 60's my dad was a big Giants fan. Before cable, KTVU channel 2 used to televise their games. We lived in San Leandro, not far from the city. Willie Mays was the best. I sometimes used to watch. Those were some good times. RIP Mr. Mays.
At first, very few. When I was a kid, most games were only on radio. And they only showed away games. Lucky to have seen giants and mays play in 71 I think it was against the cubs.
mays made baseball popular for people who didn't even care about it for all races. not a player in the history of the game had the impact mays had . man women young old black white. he could do it all and with a flair that no one could touch and ever will. i thought baseball was boring and my mom in the 60,s said i'm going to take you to see willie mays. and that's all it took. feel so sorry for those who never got to see him on the field. the stuff that he did is burned in to my mind forever
I loved Saturday afternoons when Curt Gowdy & Tony Kubek called MLB game of the week back in the 60's. Watching Wille Mays and Willie McCovey play was like watching actual giants.
R.I.P Say Hey Kid!! The best Ball player I ever saw. He was the first 5 Tool Player !! Mickey Mantle, probably would have been as great or even greater had he not stepped on the Yankee stadium Drain in 1951 or 1952 (?) . That tore up his knee that today would have been surgically repaired. MM suffered with that affliction of a torn meniscus and either a MCL or ACL tear. From my recollection, MM was the fastest player down the first baseline from Home plate at 3 Seconds (batting Lefty). And of course, he was later ruined by Whitey Ford and Billie by alcohol - up to 2 six packs a day!!
Rest in peace Willie! I first saw him @the old Tokyo Stadium in March 21, 1970. Willie got 3 hits, and Sadaharu Oh hitting the Game ending Sayonara HR!! That game made me a big baseball fan! Coincidence?? Willie Mays pass away in 20and24!!
I agree wholeheartedly with Bob's comments about the greatness of not only Willie, but his incredible contemporaries: Mantle, Aaron, Clemente, Robinson, Snider, Musial, Williams. It doesn't diminish their greatness, in any way, to say that Willie is the best all-around-player in MLB history. For me, Willie Mays--my childhood hero--was baseball. He was "born to play ball," and he played it brilliantly and charismatically at a level all his own. Memo to MLB: retire #24.
Mays lived so long that it's hard to find people who actually saw him play right from the beginning. Costas wasn't even born when Mays broke in the majors.
mays and mantle were the best two all-around players ever in the modern era. i would call the modern era the integrated era, both willie and hank played in the negro leagues but thanks to jackie robinson and branch rickey the mlb door was open for them... as i'm sure most boston red sox fans know, they got first shot at willie but their owner tom yawkey was hold out segregationist. willie played two of the toughest parks to hit home runs, had he played in boston he'd have hit 800 home runs.
@@joannepiatte4026 Well if you check Willie went to bat many many more times that Babe and Hank Aron went to the plate 2800 more times to reach the Babes records? So let’s not get carried away by emotions and use baseball stats, ok
Totally, Mays was excellent, but he was no Babe Ruth, he had more opps to hit then Babe . . . duh . . .simple math. Mays was not as good as Babe Ruth period.
Says you...Support your heroes, and I'll support mine. That's cool. But never mention style or 'grace' on the diamond, and act like Willie Mays fell short in those particulars compared to anyone. I'm sure you have your 'reasons', but this isn't the time to examine those. Just be grateful that you had the privilege to watch these Hall of Famers.
Many guys considered the best didn’t even play against even competition NBA MLB NFL - Willie came in and dominated when he wasn’t wanted - let’s be clear there are levels and everyone knows this - Willie and Hank are the best to ever do it under the circumstances…… It all matters
![What's My Line? - Willie Mays; Jack Paar [panel] (Jul 11, 1954)](/img/1.gif)
Bob Costas is so great at talking baseball. A true historian of the game.
He is great at talk8ng EVERYTHING sports. He made NBA on NBC so great because his introductions made the games larger than life
I could listen to Bob Costas talk Baseball for hours! Mays was before my time but I believe the era between 1945-1975-80 was probably the greatest era of Baseball! R.I.P. say Hey Kid Willie Mays!
Look at his games played. He was never hurt and almost never took a day off until he was 38-39 yo. Amazing.
Spit game like Costas, I could listen to him talk about the golden age greats all day 🔥
Costas is particularly pleasing to hear and listen, when speaking about Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball's historical value as well as the individual ballplayer's who set the highest standards for the values of Major League Baseball. Thank you Bob Costas in describing the valor of Willie Mays.
Willie in his prime was the best who ever played center field and I was a Yankee fan growing up
I was at the last game of his career and I was the first person to get his autograph after game 7 of the 73 WS. He came out of the lower section of coliseum, I shook his hand and asked for his autograph. He told me to go to his car and there were dozens of people around it. I grabbed hold of his jacket, pressed my chest into his back, and we pushed our way through the crowd. I handed him my WS ticket stub (proof of his last game), and he signed it. Tickets were $10 for upper deck.
Thank you, Rich, for posting these great shorts! 👍
When I was a kid in the 60's my dad was a big Giants fan. Before cable, KTVU channel 2 used to televise their games. We lived in San Leandro, not far from the city. Willie Mays was the best. I sometimes used to watch. Those were some good times. RIP Mr. Mays.
At first, very few. When I was a kid, most games were only on radio. And they only showed away games.
Lucky to have seen giants and mays play in 71
I think it was against the cubs.
Per Costas at 4:36, Ted Williams played for Baltimore which will be news to Orioles fans 😂
I love Bob’s knowledge and commentary about baseball as much as I love Shelby Foote’s knowledge and commentary about The Civil War.
Good to see Bob.. would have love to hear his feelings on the 1994 June 17th commentary.
mays made baseball popular for people who didn't even care about it for all races. not a player in the history of the game had the impact mays had . man women young old black white. he could do it all and with a flair that no one could touch and ever will. i thought baseball was boring and my mom in the 60,s said i'm going to take you to see willie mays. and that's all it took. feel so sorry for those who never got to see him on the field. the stuff that he did is burned in to my mind forever
My fave player ever. I was a tiny kid when he played for the Mets in WSeries
Willie Mays is the GOAT !
I saw Mays play in his rookie year. I can't remember much since I was two years old.
I loved Saturday afternoons when Curt Gowdy & Tony Kubek called MLB game of the week back in the 60's.
Watching Wille Mays and Willie McCovey play was like watching actual giants.
R.I.P Say Hey Kid!! The best Ball player I ever saw. He was the first 5 Tool Player !! Mickey Mantle, probably would have been as great or even greater had he not stepped on the Yankee stadium Drain in 1951 or 1952 (?) . That tore up his knee that today would have been surgically repaired. MM suffered with that affliction of a torn meniscus and either a MCL or ACL tear. From my recollection, MM was the fastest player down the first baseline from Home plate at 3 Seconds (batting Lefty). And of course, he was later ruined by Whitey Ford and Billie by alcohol - up to 2 six packs a day!!
Rest in peace Willie! I first saw him @the old Tokyo Stadium in March 21, 1970. Willie got 3 hits, and Sadaharu Oh hitting the Game ending Sayonara HR!! That game made me a big baseball fan! Coincidence?? Willie Mays pass away in 20and24!!
I agree wholeheartedly with Bob's comments about the greatness of not only Willie, but his incredible contemporaries: Mantle, Aaron, Clemente, Robinson, Snider, Musial, Williams. It doesn't diminish their greatness, in any way, to say that Willie is the best all-around-player in MLB history. For me, Willie Mays--my childhood hero--was baseball. He was "born to play ball," and he played it brilliantly and charismatically at a level all his own. Memo to MLB: retire #24.
SAY HEY!.......RIP..............
Mays lived so long that it's hard to find people who actually saw him play right from the beginning. Costas wasn't even born when Mays broke in the majors.
Rip Willy🙏🏻 Go Chiefs
We forget that Mays lost 120 games in 1952 and all of 1953 due to military service. Surely 700 career homers were in his reach.
mays and mantle were the best two all-around players ever in the modern era. i would call the modern era the integrated era, both willie and hank played in the negro leagues but thanks to jackie robinson and branch rickey the mlb door was open for them... as i'm sure most boston red sox fans know, they got first shot at willie but their owner tom yawkey was hold out segregationist. willie played two of the toughest parks to hit home runs, had he played in boston he'd have hit 800 home runs.
death, taxes, and Bob Costas showing off using big words.
Willie was great. But I guess nobody will ever break Babe Ruth’s records, on hitting. Willie was the best fielder of all.
Willie Mays was better than the Babe. All around player not just a home run hitter.
@@joannepiatte4026 Well if you check Willie went to bat many many more times that Babe and Hank Aron went to the plate 2800 more times to reach the Babes records? So let’s not get carried away by emotions and use baseball stats, ok
Totally, Mays was excellent, but he was no Babe Ruth, he had more opps to hit then Babe . . . duh . . .simple math. Mays was not as good as Babe Ruth period.
@@toga1022 Well especially hitting!
@@joannepiatte4026apparently you are unaware that Ruth was also an excellent pitcher
All due respecto willie mays god may bless he soul but the best player all around in baseball history is Alex Rodriguez
No.
Hilarious
Im surprised that Bob didn’t use this as an opportunity to preach about anti gun legislation.
I am not surprised that cultists use a tribute to a player to spew idiocy.
Grow up
Mays was great, but he did not have the style or grace of Joe D. or the style of Babe Ruth.
Says you...Support your heroes, and I'll support mine. That's cool. But never mention style or 'grace' on the diamond, and act like Willie Mays fell short in those particulars compared to anyone. I'm sure you have your 'reasons', but this isn't the time to examine those. Just be grateful that you had the privilege to watch these Hall of Famers.
Many guys considered the best didn’t even play against even competition NBA MLB NFL - Willie came in and dominated when he wasn’t wanted - let’s be clear there are levels and everyone knows this - Willie and Hank are the best to ever do it under the circumstances…… It all matters
Mays had his own grace and his own style that neither Joe D nor Ruth possessed.
Bob is a radical liberal Democrat. He says Trump voters are stupid.
What's wrong with you?
Bob probably thanks you for these compliments. I hope you meant them as such.
Costas speaks the Truth !
@@jackinthewoodsii8653 Are you woke? What's today's pronoun?
Aren't they?