RIP Willie - Say Hey!

Back when his autograph was legible.

RIP to one of the greatest players to have ever graced the field.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b61fc98ae6.jpg


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Very, very sad. Rest in peace, Mr. Mays. -- Brian Powell

He was my boyhood (1955-1965) idol. My tribute at my popular free newsletter. Below that what arrived the day before he died: framed program from his time in Minneapolis plus his signed photo with the Miller (Ray Dandridge at left)

https://gregmitchell.substack.com/p/...s-says-goodbye


https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1718818501

You all have great Willie tribute pieces!

Always a sad day to say goodbye to a true icon of the game, cards and humanity!

My selection is limited, but the 1954 Bowman is my favorite of all Willie Cards. He holds the center position in my little 11 card row of postwar HOF cards above the office TV.

Bob

The Catch

Last hit, RBI and run of his career, giving the Mets the lead in the 12th inning of game 2 of the 1973 World Series (which they won).

Rip
 

Bob, I too have a great fondness for Willie's 1954 Bowman. He looks so happy and exuberant to be a New York Giant. I think I got mine in 1972 or 73. Timeless image. Keep enjoying your cards, bro.

To be sure, this is a sad time. --- Brian Powell

RIP, Willie.

https://www.mlb.com/video/willie-may...f-93-years-old

Although I consider Ruth the GOAT, I wouldn’t argue with someone who thought Mays was. Here is a mid 1960s gamer acquired directly from a Forbes Field batboy.

The Sports Section of today's Washington Post print edition has a beautiful, one-full-page display in color of all of Willie's Topps cards along with Willie's basic stats for each prior season. The online version, unfortunately, doesn't display the cards & stats in the same fashion, but I still think collectors will enjoy seeing this, so here is the link to it: https://wapo.st/3z9OEnz

RIP Willie Mays
 

Well-loved 1952 Red Man

When I was a kid, Willie Mays was everybody's favorite player — my first glove was a MacGregor Wille Mays model, and it was way too big for me, but I didn't care because it had his signature etched in it. A few years later, there was a display of all Willie's Topps cards in a Life Magazine, and I awestruck when I first saw it. A few months back, I began searching for an eye-catching photo of Willie for my collection, and I settled on this one from 1952 ...

R I P Willie Mays
 

Great great player, hard to fathom another with as much all around talent as you Sir. Rest In Peace.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b202e073_c.jpgNice Wille Mays snapshot, mid 1950`s ? by Hugh Murphy, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...046a2fd4_c.jpgMid 1950`s Willie Mays snapshot. by Hugh Murphy, on Flickr

For my fellow Mets fans, check out post #80 of this thread, where I 're-imagined' cards of Willie Mays on 'The Amazins' in 1972:

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=219771

Rip

It is great to see so many cool items of Mays. Here is something I found at the Brimfield antique show a few years ago.

Alan

I think of the lyrics to an early Beatles song, "I'm a Loser," in which John Lennon sang:

My tears are falling like rain from the sky
Is it for her or myself that I cry?

Change the pronoun and that's the truth for many of us. Because if Willie can grow old and depart, then what hope is there for the rest of us?:(

RIP Great American 🇺🇸 🫡

I think I'll go with these lyrics from Australian rock band The Angels (paraphrased and borrowed from Charlie Chaplin) :

"I got to stop these tears that's falling from my eye
Go walk out in the rain, so no one sees me cry"

But my favorite version of the song is this acoustic version on a solo album by the lead singer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6YuWkI4kcs

I believe The Temptations said that in the 60’s…

RIP Willie

On June 24, 1950, Willie Mays made his debut in white professional baseball with the Trenton Giants at the former slave-trading stronghold of Hagerstown, Maryland. Here's the link to an interesting piece in today's Wash. Post about his debut and his much-later-in-life return to Hagerstown: https://wapo.st/3zkxNyi

This story is surreal to me, I live 10 minutes from Hagerstown and quite literally just got home from a card show in the Hagerstown valley mall an hour ago.

It's just like every other town around. The fact it was so bad for Willie specifically but the other areas around were fine is just strange and makes you wonder why Hagerstown? I'm thinking it was possibly a local leader at the time with strong charisma that might've swayed people in a very bad way. Or some sort of local hate mob.

Here is my 1924 matchbook holder from the Shireys young men's shop. With home and road schedule for the Hagerstown terriers on either side.

Fun fact: The Hagerstown Terriers never actually played in 1924, they were renamed the Hubs in 1924. So this matchbook cover was certainly made well in advance.

Fun fact #2 Lefty Groves first ever minor league start was against Hagerstown Where he lost 4-2, however he fanned 9 and impressed orioles scouts.
His first minor league win was funnily enough against Hagerstown.

Fun fact#3 The Blue ridge league (area of towns shown on matchbook cover and a few other towns, but mainly the ones shown) is extremely heavily collected by locals, moreso than I've ever seen a local pre-war league. Items are very hoarded and are very expensive when they come up.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...2214d4c1e0.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...9681735d54.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...0f317700f2.jpg