The death of Willie Mays on Tuesday at 93 elicited the kind of tributes rarely afforded a professional athlete. Mays was no ordinary athlete.
Read more: Willie Mays Dies at 93; Was Baseball’s Oldest Living Hall of Famer
According to the San Francisco Giants, with whom Mays played the bulk of his Hall of Fame career, he received honorary degrees from Dartmouth, Miles College, Ohio State University, San Francisco State, and Yale University. The Sporting News ranked Mays second only to Babe Ruth among the 100 greatest baseball players of the 20th century. ESPN listed him eighth in its ranking of the top 50 athletes of the century.
Against the backdrop of such widespread fame and acclaim, perhaps it’s no surprise that Mays’ death elicited reactions from a variety of celebrities inside and outside the world of sports on Tuesday.
Former CCR lead singer/guitarist John Fogerty is a noted baseball fan who’s demographically perfect to appreciate the prime of Mays’ career. He was 12 years old and living in the Bay Area when Mays’ New York Giants moved west to San Francisco.
Naturally, Fogerty was among the musicians who weighed in with an appreciation for Mays’ life on his Twitter/X account:
Sad to see that Willie Mays has passed away. When I was a kid the Giants came to San Francisco and Willie was the Greatest of All Time! I was lucky to see him play many many times at Candlestick Park and he is the standard that Greatness is measured by. pic.twitter.com/HjVCRhu4Gk
— John Fogerty (@John_Fogerty) June 19, 2024
Actor/director Billy Crystal is famous for directing the acclaimed baseball film 61* and is a noted New York Yankees fan. He weighed in on Twitter/X as well, showing off a signed piece of Mays memorabilia from his collection:
The great @Willie Mays has passed away. Had the honor of talking with him several times. He loved that we mentioned his ‘54 World Series catch in @CitySlickers.The man who hit the ball and the “ Giant” who caught it signed this ball. RIP #24.. a thrill to watch you play. pic.twitter.com/FTNSc99Kh1
— Billy Crystal (@BillyCrystal) June 19, 2024
Rapper Chuck D is also a huge baseball fan, and also has a deep knowledge of African-American history and Mays’ role in the integration of baseball as one of the game’s first Black stars:
Mays’ appreciation from President Barack Obama extends beyond the Medal of Freedom Obama bestowed on Mays in 2015. Naturally, Obama was among the most prominent public figures to weigh in on Mays’ death:
Willie Mays wasn’t just a singular athlete, blessed with an unmatched combination of grace, skill and power. He was also a wonderfully warm and generous person – and an inspiration to an entire generation. I’m lucky to have spent time with him over the years, and Michelle and I… pic.twitter.com/tpO3O9B9yc
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 19, 2024
Obama wasn’t the only former president who appreciated Mays, as Bill Clinton weighed in with his own tribute statement on Twitter/X:
A former Attorney General of the United States, Eric Holder, also shared his deep appreciation for Mays’ life and career:
I am heartbroken by the news that Willie Mays has passed away. He was my first sports hero and is a connection in my life to a better time where humility, decency and real accomplishment were the ultimate positive defining characteristics.
Many times you meet your heroes and… pic.twitter.com/3apDZnRgV2
— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) June 19, 2024
Former New York Yankees, Cleveland Guardians, and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher CC Sabathia grew up in the Bay Area city of Vallejo. He revealed his appreciation for Mays in a social media post, as well:
I’ll never forget this day when I walked in and heard, “that’s that boy who wears his hat like this.”
RIP Willie Mays. You changed the game forever and inspired kids like me to chase our dream. Thank you for everything that you did on and off the field. Always in our hearts… pic.twitter.com/Xv2ZHbKFvt
— CC Sabathia (@CC_Sabathia) June 19, 2024
Former New York Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams, now a professional musician, weighed in with his words of respect for Mays too:
There will never be another Willie Mays.You don’t play Centerfield without thinking of Mr. Mays. We should all celebrate and salute his legacy – – he transcended baseball, served our country and is a true American legend & icon. Credit: Greg Kreindler @mlb @MLBNetwork pic.twitter.com/I8tdunpv4S
— Bernie Williams (@bw51official) June 19, 2024
Mays is being honored across Major League Baseball on Wednesday with moments of silence prior to each game.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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