On the blog today, we add to my 1972 "Negro Leagues to Major Leagues" sub-set, as a 25th anniversary celebration (at that time) of Jackie Robinson's MLB debut of 1947, with all-time great Willie Mays:
Mays
made his professional debut as a high school kid back in 1948 with the
Birmingham Barons in 1948, and would suit up for them until signed with
the New York Giants in 1950.
In 13 games
for the Barons that first year, Mays hit .233 with 10 hits over 43
at-bats, picking up six runs batted in and scoring six.
Once
in the Giants' Minor League system in 1950, he just tore the cover off
the ball, hitting .353 in Class-B and a torrid .477 in Triple-A before
getting his call-up in 1951, cruising to a Rookie of the Year Award that
season, hitting 20 homers with 68 RBIs and a .274 batting average.
As for the rest of his career, really at this point what else needs to be said about arguably the best all-around player
in baseball history. 3000+ hits, 660 homers, 1900+ R.B.I.'s., 1951
Rookie of the Year and N.L. M.V.P. in 1954 and 1965. But he was much
more than just stats. He was the "Say Hey Kid".
By the time the 1970's hit, he was a walking legend of the sport, and being enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 was the cherry on top of it all.
By the time the 1970's hit, he was a walking legend of the sport, and being enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 was the cherry on top of it all.
