Willie Mays

[Moose Milligan]

Just tuned in on MLBN for the last 30 mins of a 2 hour interview by Costas with Willie Mays. Classic stuff. Has anyone seen the whole thing?

I also want to pick up the new bio...has anyone read it yet?

[Orioles West]

Just tuned in on MLBN for the last 30 mins of a 2 hour interview by Costas with Willie Mays. Classic stuff. Has anyone seen the whole thing?

I also want to pick up the new bio...has anyone read it yet?

I was lucky enough to see the whole thing a couple nights back, it is my favorite Studio 42 interview so far. Willie is still awesome.

I haven't picked up the bio yet, but I think I have to now.

-Don

[Moose Milligan]

I was lucky enough to see the whole thing a couple nights back, it is my favorite Studio 42 interview so far. Willie is still awesome.

I haven't picked up the bio yet, but I think I have to now.

-Don

They're not showing it again until the 21st, apparently :cussing:

[Orioles West]

They're not showing it again until the 21st, apparently :cussing:

That is a bit of a wait, but it will be worth it. Set your VCR or DVR now. Really fun interview.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Where do the folks on this board rank Mays all time versus other position players?

[waroriole]

Where do the folks on this board rank Mays all time versus other position players?

Off the top of my head, I'd say behind only Ruth, Cobb, Williams and Bonds.

[mweb]

Where do the folks on this board rank Mays all time versus other position players?

Probably 3rd. Behind Babe, and his godson.

Oscar Charleston may have been better though.

[backwardsk]

Second behind Babe. His numbers are outstanding even though he missed almost two seasons because of Korea when he was beginning his prime.

[bobmc]

Growing up in NY, Mays was my early idol. He did it all with panache as I've stated previously (post #3 below). IMO, he outdid Mantle due to his longevity and flair.

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92049&highlight=mays

I took a glance at the bio the other day and read a part dealing with the Marichal/Roseboro bat incident. Mays took a bleeding Roseboro into the dugout after the attack by Marichal and tended to him. Awesome story!

http://www.lunch.com/reviews/Juan_Marichal_vs_John_Roseboro_Dodgers_vs_Giants_Aug_22_1965_-Wiki-1414242.html

[TyCobb]

Off the top of my head, I'd say behind only Ruth, Cobb, Williams and Bonds.

I would agree with this list, but if Bonds didn't use steroids he won't be near Willy Mays.

[TyCobb]

Before his death in 1961, Ty declared, "Mays is the only man in baseball, I'd pay to see play." (Baltimore Afro-American, Saturday, August 20, 1966, pp. 18, column 5. "New Wave of Expletives greet Mays' homer feat, by Sam Lacy)

[24fps]

For me it would be:

Ruth, Williams, Aaron, Mays, Cobb.

[Avsfan]

For me it would be:

Ruth, Williams, Aaron, Mays, Cobb.

No way you can put Hank Aaron ahead of Willie Mays...no way.

[mweb]

I'd have Mays over Williams, but I guess the time they both missed due to war is the x factor in that debate.

Bonds would have likely been at least close to Mays without the steroids. He ended up with a WAR advantage near 17, maybe take away about 20 due to steroids.

Guessing Mays took greenies as well, so lets not act like him and everyone who played before 1990 or whatever is innocent.

[RShack]

Guessing Mays took greenies as well, so lets not act like him and everyone who played before 1990 or whatever is innocent.

Let's not derail this acting like using greenies was some big crime or anything like roids, or that there is some arbitrary purity threshold. Personally, I wish they'd let them use them again... especially in August and September...

If there's anything Mays wasn't great at, I'd like to know what it was...