Best defensive play you've ever seen?

[OFFNY]

Drungo, I found this.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/201754-willie-mays-greatest-play-was-against-the-brooklyn-dodgers-in-1951

Wasn't dead center, it was polo grounds.

Here is another account of the play that you are referring to:

http://www.goldenagebaseballcards.com/showcase/willie-mays-the-catch.htm

August 15, 1951 was one of those days and Willie Mays made a catch that the ghosts of the Polo Grounds still talk about on warm August evenings. The play was integral in bringing the pennant to the Giants. There were more than 21,000 fans in the stands on this afternoon. Ironically, Ralph Branca was on the mound for the Giants as he was when Thomson hit his homer. Jim Hearn toiled for the Giants.

The score was tied 1-1 in the eighth with one out when Carl Furillo came to bat with the lead run on third in the name of Billy Cox. Carl slammed one of Hearn’s pitches into the gap in right center for what looked like a sure base hit that would easily score Cox. Mays was shading the righthanded Furillo to left field and was off with the crack of the bat.

When Mays ran the bases it appeared that centrifugal force would carry him out of the baselines. When Mays tracked a fly ball, he glided through the air. On this drive by Furillo he turned on the jets and lunged for the catch. What happened then was not only unexpected, but impossible. Cox tagged up and headed home with a sure run. Mays, running full speed into right center, spun 270 degrees, throwing across his body with all the force he had. The ball flew over Whitey Lockman, the cutoff man, and nestled into catcher Wes Westrum’s glove to cut down Cox at the plate. The Dodgers were out. The only negative comment came from Furillo who said, “He’ll never make another throw like that one, the lucky slob.”

This account has Mays "some 330 feet from home plate" when making the catch, spin, and throw:

https://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00215053.html

Three years before making "The Catch," Mays made "The Throw." On Aug. 15, 1951, he ran down Carl Furillo's drive in right-center, some 330 feet from home, wheeled, and threw out Billy Cox trying to score from third base. "It was a good play, but I got to see him do it again," Dodgers manager Charlie Dressen said after the 3-1 loss.

[Redskins Rick]

This account has Mays "some 330 feet from home plate" when making the catch, spin, and throw:

https://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00215053.html

Three years before making "The Catch," Mays made "The Throw." On Aug. 15, 1951, he ran down Carl Furillo's drive in right-center, some 330 feet from home, wheeled, and threw out Billy Cox trying to score from third base. "It was a good play, but I got to see him do it again," Dodgers manager Charlie Dressen said after the 3-1 loss.

Probably has to be the best CF to play the position.

[CA-ORIOLE]

[DrungoHazewood]

Probably has to be the best CF to play the position.

He was excellent. No doubt about that. But he probably gets a bump in reputation for also being an inner circle HOF hitter. I'd guess that Andrew Jones was at least as good a fielder, probably better. And many others like Devon White, Paul Blair, Gary Maddox, Curt Flood, Chet Lemon, maybe Tris Speaker were of similar quality. And some others who had shorter careers because they couldn't really hit like Franklin Gutierrez or Gary Pettis who were probably as good in the field.

[Redskins Rick]

He was excellent. No doubt about that. But he probably gets a bump in reputation for also being an inner circle HOF hitter. I'd guess that Andrew Jones was at least as good a fielder, probably better. And many others like Devon White, Paul Blair, Gary Maddox, Curt Flood, Chet Lemon, maybe Tris Speaker were of similar quality. And some others who had shorter careers because they couldn't really hit like Franklin Gutierrez or Gary Pettis who were probably as good in the field.

A five tool guy for sure.

And like most players in his ERA, he lost almost two seasons for military duty.

[bobmc]

He was excellent. No doubt about that. But he probably gets a bump in reputation for also being an inner circle HOF hitter. I'd guess that Andrew Jones was at least as good a fielder, probably better. And many others like Devon White, Paul Blair, Gary Maddox, Curt Flood, Chet Lemon, maybe Tris Speaker were of similar quality. And some others who had shorter careers because they couldn't really hit like Franklin Gutierrez or Gary Pettis who were probably as good in the field.

Agree with this - I saw Mays in his prime and he was flashy (before flash was cool and usual), daring, fearless...a cut above his peers, IMO, including Mantle, Snider, Aaron. Players Drungo mentioned were much more athletic, stronger and had the benefit of watching players like Mays and his followers (sequentially not mavens) to build on the evolution of the position. Griffey was as good if not better but he was lankier. Gary Matthews made some magnificent plays. I'm just saying at the time Mays was best in the field and his was the best catch (I think) I ever saw at the time and in person. Edmonds, Andruw, Trout, etc. have made better plays nowadaze, however.

That catch by Devo which I did see on tv was as good as it gets...