Willie Mays’ greatness extended far beyond his play on the field. His legacy will forever live as one of baseball’s most impactful people. We may never see a phenomenon like him again, granted, we did experience something close.
When news began circulating about Mays’ death on Tuesday, graphics with his career statistics and achievements were plastered everywhere. Those include Mays’ career batting average of .301, his 3,291 hits, hits, 660 home runs, 1,909 RBI and holding a .384 on-base and .557 slugging percentage.
Add those numbers to his 24 All-Star selections, 12 Gold Gloves (tied with Roberto Clemente for the most among outfielders), multiple MVP awards, Rookie of the Year honor and World Series championship, and Mays has a case as the greatest player of all-time.
But Mays’ resume doesn’t even tell the story of his infectious personality and marketability during an era Major League Baseball was adapting to eliminating the segregation within the sport and integrating Negro League players. Mays was a necessary figure for the time, as he was loved by fans of all ages and races.
There’s only one player in baseball history who even comes close to comparing to Mays in terms of everything he was, both on and off the field.
Ken Griffey Jr. took the sports world by storm, most notably with the Seattle Mariners throughout the 1990s. Playing center field and wearing the No. 24 as a tribute to Mays, Griffey was often referred to as “The Kid” in a similar way Mays was called the “Say Hey Kid” by fans. This instantly sparked comparisons. Griffey, a baseball legend who grew up around the game, started to dominate individually, making people think of Mays even more.
Much like Mays for an earlier generation, Griffey argued as the game’s best player during his prime. In addition to being a complete player — excelling offensively and defensively — who played the same position as Mays, Griffey instantly took the mantle as the face of the sport. He signed with Nike, marketed the sport with his big smile on commercials and video games, and set All-Star voting records. At that time, many even believed Griffey would surpass Mays and make his claim as the best.
While injuries in the second half of his career derailed Griffey from truly reaching Mays’ level, he still did more than enough to establish himself as a legend. In 22 seasons, Griffey recorded 2,781 hits, smashed 630 home runs, drove in 1,836 RBI and posted an OBP of .370 and a slugging percentage of .538. Griffey also won an MVP and amassed 10 Gold Gloves at center field.
Some mention Mays’ godson and fellow Giant Barry Bonds, but he doesn’t fit the bill like Griffey. Bonds played left field and is polarizing due to his connection to performance-enhancing drugs.
These words from legendary sportscaster and baseball historian Bob Costas suggest Griffey is the only true comparison to Mays.
“Maybe the closest comp in recent history would be the healthy and young Ken Griffey Jr. in two respects — he was a sensational center fielder, he was a great and fast base runner like Willie, he hit for power and for average and he exuded joy.”