Search Results for "Willie Mays"

145 Fact(s) Found
June 28, 1918
 		After moving up to the mound for a possible cutoff play, White Sox backstop Ray Schalk continues to second base, taking a throw from first baseman Chick Gandil to double up Browns Ray Demmitt, who failed to retouch second base, attempting to get back to first. The play makes the future Hall of Famer the first catcher to make a putout at every bag, a feat not accomplished again until 1964 when Johnny Roseboro tags Willie Mays out in a rundown play when the outfielder tries to steal second.
May 6, 1931
 		Future baseball legend Willie Mays is born in Westfield, Alabama, the son of Annie Satterwhite and William Mays. The Say Hey Kid's dad, called Cat due to his quick reflexes, was named after William Taft, the U.S. president elected in 1912, the same year Willie's father was born.
June 24, 1950
 		Willie Mays makes his professional baseball debut, playing centerfield for Trenton, the Giants' farm team in the Class B Inter-State League. The 19-year-old outfielder from Alabama goes hitless in the game against Hagerstown in Maryland but will hit .353 in 81 games before being promoted to the Minneapolis Millers, the Triple-A affiliate of the parent club.
October 5, 1951
 		Mickey Mantle's season ends after severely injuring his right knee when his cleats get caught on a drainage cap in Game 2 of the World Series. Joe DiMaggio's abrupt call for Willie Mays' fly ball in center field in the Yankee Stadium contest leads many to believe that the last-minute decision contributed to the torn cartilage suffered by the 19-year-old rookie right fielder.
May 25, 1951
 		At Shibe Park, the much-heralded Giant rookie Willie Mays makes his major league debut against the Phillies. The 20-year-old outfielder, who hit .477 in 35 games with the Minneapolis Millers before being called up, goes hitless in five trips to the plate but makes two outstanding defensive plays, contributing to New York's 8-5 victory.
May 27, 1951
 		A large ad in the Minnesota Sunday Times asks the local fans for their continued support of the Millers despite promoting the team's phenom to the major leagues. Giants owner Horace Stoneham explains Willie Mays' performance, compiling a .477 batting average while hitting safely in 33 of 35 games, has warranted the young outfielder's move to the Polo Grounds in New York.

Text of Giants' Ad Explaining Willie Mays' Promotion to NY
May 28, 1951
 		After starting his career 0-for-12, Giants rookie Willie Mays gets his first hit, a 450-foot homer off Braves left-hander Warren Spahn. Ironically, the home run is the first of the 18 the 'Say Hey Kid' will hit off the future Hall of Fame hurler, the most he will hit off any pitcher.
November 15, 1951
 		Although not included on the club's spring training rosters, 20-year-old Giant outfielder Willie Mays and Yankee infielder Gil McDougald, 23, win the Rookie of the Year honors in their respective leagues. White Sox outfielder/third baseman Minnie Minoso, the runner-up in the American League, loses his bid for the prestigious freshman award to his New York rival by a slim 13-11 margin after having a superior offensive season, including compiling a .326 batting average and stealing 31 bases.
July 24, 1951

"That was the finest catch I have ever seen, and the finest I ever expect to see" - BRANCH RICKEY, commenting as the Pirates GM on a catch made by Willie Mays at Forbes Field,

At cavernous Forbes Field, Willie Mays, unable to reach across his body to make a catch with his glove of Rocky Nelson's sinking 457-foot blast to deep center, sticks out his bare right hand and grabs the ball on a full gallop to make the incredible final out of the inning. During the game, Venerable Branch Rickey, Pittsburgh's general manager, sends a note to the New York dugout to tell the 20-year-old rookie Giants' outfielder, "That was the finest catch I have ever seen, and the finest I ever expect to see."
August 15, 1951

"I don't compare 'em, I just catch 'em."- Giants outfielder Willie Mays

With one out in the eighth and a runner on third base in a 1-1 tied game, Willie Mays makes an incredible catch of Carl Furillo's drive to deep centerfield and then turns counterclockwise to throw a perfect strike to home to nail a surprised Billy Cox at home to complete the double play. Some believe the catch inspired the team's incredible comeback from an 11½ game deficit to win the National League pennant. 

October 4, 1951
 		In Game 1 of the World Series, the first all-black outfield in major league history appears when Monte Irvin, Willie Mays, and Hank Thompson take the field for the Giants at Yankee Stadium. In a curious move, Leo Durocher replaces the previously injured right fielder Don Mueller with Hank Thompson, a third baseman by trade, using veteran outfielder Bobby Thomson at the hot corner.
June 3, 1951
 		With two outs in the second inning of an eventual 1-0 loss to the Giants, Cardinals' southpaw Max Lanier walks Monte Irvin, gives up a double down the right-field line to Willie Mays, and intentionally walks Hank Thompson to load the bases. Although the St. Louis lefty gets out of the jam by striking out opposing pitcher Dave Koslo, the frame marks the first time in major league history that a trio of black players occupies three bases simultaneously.
April 18, 1952
 		On Opening Day in Brooklyn, Willie Mays becomes unconscious when he smashes into the Ebbets Field left-field wall after chasing pinch-hitter Bob Morgan's seventh-inning, two-out base-loaded line drive into the gap. All three Dodgers baserunners cross the plate but do not score when the motionless Giants center fielder comes to his feet and jogs into the dugout, apparently unhurt, having held onto the ball after making a fantastic catch for the third out to end the inning.
September 14, 1954
 		In the Giants' 1-0 victory over the Redbirds, Willie Mays strokes a first-inning double and scores the game's lone run. The two-bagger is the Say Hey Kid's 82nd extra-base hit of the season, breaking the team record established by Mel Ott.
September 29, 1954
 		Willie Mays gives the glove he used to make one of the most spectacular catches in baseball history, an amazing over-the-shoulder grab that robbed Vic Wertz of extra bases in Game 1 of the World Series, to teammate Don Liddle's 6-year-old son. Craig Liddle will use the immortal piece of leather when he gets older in Little League games.
December 16, 1954
 		Willie Mays becomes the first player to win the Most Valuable Player Award in his first full year in the majors when he easily outdistances Reds' first baseman Ted Kluszewski for the honor. The 23-year-old Giants center fielder made his big league debut at the end of May in 1951 but missed the last two seasons due to his military service in the U.S. Army.
April 13, 1954
 		Willie Mays, who missed nearly two seasons due to military service, homers in his first game back, a sixth-inning blast off Carl Erskine that will prove the difference in the Giants' 4-3 Opening Day victory over Brooklyn. The 22-year-old center fielder's prodigious poke at the Polo Grounds might have traveled over 600 feet if the upper left-field stands had not impeded the ball.
September 26, 1954
 		With three hits in the season finale, Willie Mays wins the batting title, finishing the campaign with a .345 average. The 'Say Hey Kid' goes third to first in batting average, with his performance passing teammate Don Mueller (.342) and Dodger center fielder Duke Snider (341).
September 29, 1954
 		At Polo Grounds, World Series opponents feature black players on both sides for the first time when the Giants beat the Indians in ten innings, 5-2. Eight Afro-Americans, four from each team, participate in the Fall Classic, including the future Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Larry Doby, and Monte Irvin.
September 29, 1954
 		In a game best remembered for Willie Mays' spectacular over-the-shoulder grab of a ball hit deep to center field, robbing Vic Wertz of an extra-base hit, Dusty Rhodes becomes the second player in World Series history to end a game with a homer. The Giants pinch-hitter's walk-off three-run home run off Bob Lemon beats the Indians 5-2 in Game 1 of the Fall Classic.

September 27, 1954
 		The first episode of NBC's The first episode of NBC's Tonight Show, featuring Steve Allen as the host, announcer Gene Rayburn, and bandleader Skitch Henderson, airs nationally for the first time. Giants center fielder Willie Mays, the NL's leader in batting and eventual MVP of the circuit, appears as one of the first guests on the 90-minute innovative broadcast that will become a staple of late-night television., featuring Steve Allen as the host along with announcer Gene Rayburn and bandleader Skitch Henderson, airs nationally for the first time. Giants center fielder Willie Mays, the NL's leader in batting and eventual MVP of the circuit, appears as one of the first guests on the 90-minute innovative broadcast that will become a staple of late-night television.
September 20, 1955
 		Willie Mays becomes the seventh player to hit fifty home runs in a season when he connects off Pittsburgh's Vern Law for the second time in the Giants' 14-8 victory at the Polo Grounds. The round-tripper is the 24-year-old center fielder's seventh in six consecutive games.
April 18, 1955
 		In his first major league appearance, 25-year-old Pirates reliever Al Grunwald, getting just one batter out, gives up a single to Don Mueller, a double to Monte Irvin, a triple to Willie Mays, and a homer to Whitey Lockman. The Giants' fourth-inning 'cycle' contributes to an eight-run frame in the team's eventual 12-3 victory over Pittsburgh at the Polo Grounds.
July 8, 1956
 		In an 11-1 rout of the Pirates at the Polo Grounds, the Giants go deep for a franchise-record seven home runs. Willie Mays, Daryl Spencer, and Wes Westrum each connect for a pair, and Hank Thompson adds another.
June 26, 1957
 		Twenty-six-year-old center fielder Willie Mays collects four hits and scores three runs while driving in four runs in the Giants' 17-7 victory over the Reds at Cincinnati's Crosley Field. The close game becomes a blowout when New York scores seven runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh.
September 25, 1957
 		In his final plate appearance of the season, 36-year-old Stan Musial, pinch-hitting in the eighth inning for Lindy McDaniel, singles home the tying run in the Cardinals' eventual 4-1 victory over the Braves in Milwaukee's County Stadium. The St. Louis first baseman, who does not play in the season-ending three-game series against the Cubs, finishes the campaign with a .351 batting average, 18 points higher than runner-up Willie Mays, to capture his seventh and final National League batting crown.


Stan Musial -1957

May 12, 1958
 		In a 12-3 rout of their West Coast rival, Willie Mays homers twice against the Dodgers in the LA Memorial Coliseum contest. The Say Hey Kid's second round-tripper, a fifth-inning shot off Ed Roebuck, is the first grand slam hit by a San Francisco Giant.
January 30, 1958
 		Commissioner Ford Frick announces the fans will no longer vote in selecting participants for the All-Star Game, with teams now chosen by major league players and coaches. The change prevents the stuffing of the ballot box, as happened when fans, spurred on by ballots published daily in the Cincinnati Times-Star, local broadcast media, and Burger Beer supplying ballots to taverns, elected eight Reds to start last season's Midsummer Classic.

(Ed. Note: The commissioner replaced the Reds' fan selections of Wally Post and Gus Bell in the NL lineup with Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. -LP)

ballot small

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October 12, 1958
 		Willie Mays makes his first appearance in New York since the Giants moved to San Francisco when his barnstorming NL All-Stars beat Mickey Mantle's American League All-Stars, 6-2. Before the game, the 'Say Hey Kid,' who thrills the Yankee Stadium crowd of 21,129 with a 4-for-5 day at the plate, bests 'The Mick' in a home run hitting contest, 2-1.
May 13, 1958
 		San Francisco teammates Willie Mays and Darryl Spencer have four long hits each, driving in four and six runs in the team's 16-9 victory over the Dodgers at LA's Memorial Coliseum. The Giants' center fielder and shortstop combine for 28 total bases, with Mays hitting two homers, two triples, and a single and Spencer adding two round-trippers, a three-bagger, and a double to the offensive outburst.
September 28, 1958
 		On the last day of the season at Pittsburgh's Forbes Field, Richie Ashburn goes 3-for-4, including a tenth-inning single, to capture his second batting crown. The Phillies' center fielder, who also led the league in 1955, ends the season with an average of .350, three points higher than Giants slugger Willie Mays.
November 25, 1958
 		The BBWAA selects Ernie Banks as the National League's Most Valuable Player, the first of two consecutive MVP awards the Cub shortstop will win. The 27-year-old former Negro League standout, who batted .314 and hit 47 home runs, easily outdistanced Giant outfielder Willie Mays for the honor.
July 7, 1959
 		At Forbes Field, Hank Aaron's eighth-inning single ties the score, and a triple hit by Willie Mays plates Aaron with the winning run in the 5-4 All-Star victory in the first of the two Midsummer Classics scheduled this season.
October 11, 1959
 		At Syracuse's MacArthur Stadium, middleweight champion Carmen Basilio umpires an exhibition game between Mickey Mantle's AL All-Stars and Willie Mays' NL All-Star barnstorming squads. The contest, which costs only $2.50 to attend, features a home run hitting competition between Braves slugger Hank Aaron and Indians right fielder Rocky Colavito, who led the American League in home runs this season.
September 15, 1960
 		Willie Mays, who collects five hits in six at-bats, ties a major league mark by hitting three triples in the Giants' 8-6 victory over Philadelphia. The Say Hey Kid's eleventh-inning three-bagger leads to the eventual go-ahead run in the Connie Mack Stadium contest.
July 13, 1960
 		The Yankee Stadium hosts the All-Star Game, the second played in three days. The contest marks the return of Willie Mays to New York as the San Francisco Giants superstar goes 3-for-4, including a homer and a single off American League starter Whitey Ford, pacing the National League to a 6-0 victory.
January 9, 1960
 		In the first episode of Home Run Derby ever aired, Mickey Mantle overcomes an 8-2 deficit to beat Willie Mays, 9-8, when he goes deep in the bottom of the ninth at LA's Wrigley Field. The Giants superstar, who had hit four homers before the Yankee slugger stepped up to the plate, agrees to double their $500 side bet when he is ahead by five runs in the seventh, enabling his opponent to walk away with both the winning and losing share of the contest.

August 23, 1961
 		In the 14-0 rout of the Reds at Crosley Field, the Giants score twelve runs in the top of the ninth with ten hits and three Cincinnati errors. Orlando Cepeda, Felipe Alou, Jim Davenport, Willie Mays, and John Orsino go deep in the frame to tie a major league team record with five round-trippers, joining the 1939 Giants and 1966 Twins, in addition to setting a record for total bases in one inning with 27.
June 20, 1961
 		The voting ends in a 'worldwide election' to settle who is better, New York's Mickey Mantle or San Francisco's Willie Mays. Inspired by Bill Hoebler, a young baseball fan from Pittsburgh, the Sport magazine's poll puts the Yankee center fielder ahead of the Giants' Say Hey Kid by more than 500 votes after tallying the seventeen pounds of postcards from all 50 states and several countries.
April 30, 1961
 		At Milwaukee's County Stadium, Willie Mays slams four homers in one game, with each round-tripper traveling over 400 feet. The San Francisco slugger is on deck when the third out ends the Giants' ninth inning in their eventual 14-4 win over the Braves.

October 1, 1961
 		Willie Mays hits his 40th home run when he goes deep off Lew Burdette in the Giants' 8-2 victory over Milwaukee in the opener of a twin bill at County Stadium. The 'Say Hey Kid' is the eighth player to reach the mark this season, a major league first, joining Roger Maris (61), Mickey Mantle (54), Harmon Killebrew (46), Orlando Cepeda (46), Jim Gentile (46), Rocky Colavito (45), and Norm Cash (41) in accomplishing the feat.
July 24, 1961
 		Inclement conditions at Yankee Stadium postpone a home run derby featuring Bronx Bombers Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle vs. Giants sluggers Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda. The 'Mick' will be the only scheduled participant to homer in the contest when his second-inning round-tripper, a 450-foot blast off Bob Bolin that lands in the bleachers, accounts for New York's only run.
July 24, 1961
 		In a midseason exhibition at Yankee Stadium in front of 47,346 fans on a stormy night, the San Francisco Giants beat their former crosstown rivals, 4-1. Mickey Mantle's homer accounts for the only Bronx Bombers run, and Willie Mays, cheered by the fans enthusiastically throughout the entire evening, has two RBIs for the visiting 'Jints.'
September 12, 1962
 		With the game behind the front-running Dodgers, the Giants lose their All-Star center fielder when Willie Mays enters a hospital for nervous exhaustion. The City by the Bay team will drop six games in a row but will recover along with 'Say Hey Kid' in time to beat Los Angeles in a playoff to win the National League pennant.
August 6, 1962
 		For the fifth time, a team record, Willie Mays collects five hits in a game. In the Giants' 9-2 victory over Philadelphia at Candlestick Park, the 'Say Hey Kid' hits a pair of two-run homers in the first and second innings and follows up with singles in the fourth, fifth, and eighth.
October 4, 1962
 		When Willie Mays scores on a surprise bunt by Jose Pagan in Game 1, Whitey Ford sees his World Series consecutive scoreless inning streak end at 33.2 innings. However, Clete Boyer's seventh-inning home run helps Ford win a record 10th and his final Fall Classic victory as the Yankees defeat the Giants, 6-2.
April 19, 1963
 		Willie Mays becomes the all-time National League right-handed home run leader when he connects for his 371st career round-tripper, a fourth-inning solo shot off Chicago's Larry Jackson in the Giants' 5-1 victory at Candlestick Park. The San Francisco center fielder surpasses Gil Hodges, who established the mark last season.
July 2, 1963
 		In one of baseball's most memorable pitching duels, Giants' right-hander Juan Marichal and Braves' lefty Warren Spahn hurl 15 scoreless innings before Willie Mays ends the marathon, homering off Spahnie in the bottom of the 16th to give Francisco a 1-0 win.
February 20, 1963
 		After leading the Giants to the pennant, Willie Mays becomes the game's presently highest-paid player, signing a $100,000 contract, a ten-thousand-dollar increase. The 31-year-old outfielder, who slugged a major league-leading 49 home runs last year, joins Stan Musial, Joe DiMaggio, and Ted Williams in inking a six-figure deal.
January 15, 1964
 		Willie Mays, the highest-paid player in baseball, signs the $105,000 contract offered by the Giants. The perennial All-Star center fielder will have another outstanding season, batting .308, hitting 40 home runs, and driving in 123 runs for the Bay City team.
May 31, 1964
 		The Mets execute an unusual 6-6-3 triple play in the 14th frame of a 23-inning 8-6 loss to the Giants when shortstop Roy McMillan snares Orlando Cepeda's line drive, tags second base to double off Jesus Alou and then throws to first, catching Willie Mays off base for the third out. The play is the team's second triple-killing in the franchise's brief history, pulling one off against the Dodgers in 1962, the team's inaugural season.
September 25, 1965
 		At age 34, Willie Mays becomes the oldest player to slug 50 home runs in a single season. The Giants' center fielder was also the youngest to accomplish the feat, hitting 51 homers in 1955.
April 14, 1965
 		Willie Mays hits his 455th career home run, a third-inning two-run shot to left field off future Hall of Famer Jim Bunning, in the Giants’ 5-2 victory over the Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium. The round-tripper surpasses Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle’s current total, a lead the Say Hey Kid will not again relinquish to his rival center fielder.
August 29, 1965
 		Giants center fielder Willie Mays breaks Ralph Kiner's record for home runs in a month when the 'Say Hey Kid' hits a moon shot off Jack Fischer for his 17th round-tripper in an 8-3 victory over New York. The former Pirates outfielder, now a broadcaster for the Mets on WHN radio and WOR-TV, calls the four-bagger, breaking the monthly mark he established with 16 round-trippers in September of 1949.
November 10, 1965
 		Giants outfielder Willie Mays is named the National League's Most Valuable Player, receiving 224 of the writers' votes, compared to 177 for Dodger southpaw Sandy Koufax, the winner of 26 games with an ERA of 2.04, while striking out 382 batters to establish a modern major-league mark. The 34-year-old San Francisco slugger batted .312, led the circuit with 52 home runs, and collected 112 RBI for his second-place club.
September 25, 1965
 		Willie Mays, who hit 51 round-trippers in 1955, joins Ralph Kiner as the second National Leaguer to have more than one 50-home run season. The milestone homer, a fourth-inning two-run blast off Bob Sadowski, helps the Giants beat Milwaukee at Candlestick Park, 7-5.
January 22, 1965

"I've been asked the question many times over the years, all of us have, but I have to say right here and now: Willie was probably the best of us three...just look at the stats." - MICKEY MANTLE, Hall of Fame Yankee outfielder.

Willie Mays, Duke Snider, and Mickey Mantle make their last joint appearance when attending the BBWAA Dinner in New York. 'The Mick' answers who was the best of the legendary Big Apple trio of outfielders, telling the audience, "Willie was probably the best of us three...just look at the stats.

September 13, 1965
 		Facing right-hander Don Nottebart, 34-year-old Giant outfielder Willie Mays becomes the fifth player in major league history to collect 500 career home runs, blasting a 440-foot shot over the Astrodome's centerfield wall. The 'Say Hey Kid' will hit a league-leading and career-high 52 home runs en route to his second MVP season.
October 3, 1965
 		On the last day of the season, Giants' outfielder Willie Mays hits his 52nd home run to break the franchise record he established in 1955. The 'Say Reds hurler Billy McCool gives up hey Kid's' league-leading home run when San Francisco defeats Cincinnati at Candlestick Park, 6-3.
February 28, 1966
 		Refusing to report to spring training, Dodger pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale begin their joint holdout, asking for a $1 million three-year contract to be divided equally between them. The deal, equivalent to an annual salary of $167,000 for each hurler, will make them the best-paid baseball players, easily surpassing Willie Mays' $125,000 yearly paycheck with the Giants.
May 4, 1966
 		In a 6-1 victory over the Dodgers at Candlestick Park, Willie Mays becomes the all-time National League home run leader when he strokes his 512th career round-tripper off LA's starter Claude Osteen. The San Francisco center fielder passes another Giant, breaking the mark established by Mel Ott in 1946.
August 17, 1966
 		After tying Jimmie Foxx yesterday for most career home runs hit by a right-handed batter, Giants slugger Willie Mays passes 'Double X' with his 535th homer. The San Francisco center fielder now takes second place on the all-time list, trailing only Babe Ruth's 714.
August 16, 1966
 		In the Giants' 3-1 win over the Cardinals, Willie Mays hits his 534th career home run. The Say Hey Kid's third-inning round-tripper ties him with Jimmie Foxx for most career home runs hit by a right-handed batter in major league history.
June 7, 1967
 		The Reds play their major-league record 11th consecutive one-run game, losing to San Francisco at Crosley Field, 4-3. En route to striking out 15, including fanning Willie Mays four timesCincinnati's 19-year-old fireballer Gary Nolan takes the loss after Willie McCovey blasts a three-run eighth-inning round-tripper, with reliever Bob Lee allowing the decisive run to score in the frame.

June 30, 1967
 		Cookie Rojas, who joined the Phillies in 1964, plays his ninth different position for the team when he takes the mound in a 12-3 loss to San Francisco. In his ninth-inning appearance, the All-Star infielder allows no runs and gives up just one hit, ending the frame by getting future Hall of Famer Willie Mays to fly out to right field in the Connie Mack Stadium contest.
February 18, 1967
 		During a nationally televised celebrity charity softball game at Dodger Stadium, hard-throwing Eddie Feigner strikes out six consecutive big leaguers, including five future Hall of Famers. The 39-year-old right-hander's victims include Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Brooks Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Roberto Clemente, and Maury Wills.
July 9, 1968
 		In the first All-Star Game played indoors, the National Leaguers hold the Junior Circuit to just three hits in the Astrodome, winning the first Midsummer Classic to end with a score of 1-0. The contest's lone tally comes in the bottom of the first frame when Willie Mays, who had been picked off but stayed on the bases due to Luis Tiant's throwing error, scores an unearned run when Willie McCovey hits into a double-play.
September 20, 1968
 		Mickey Mantle hits his final home run, a solo shot in the third inning, finishing his 18-year major league career third on the all-time home run list with 536 round-trippers behind only Babe Ruth and Willie Mays when he retires at the end of the season. Jim Lonborg gives up the homer to the 36-year-old slugger in a 4-3 loss to the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
September 22, 1969
 		Willie Mays, joining Yankee legend Babe Ruth, becomes the second major leaguer to hit 600 career home runs. The historic two-run homer is delivered as a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh inning off Padres hurler Mike Corkins and proves to be the difference in the Giants' 4-2 victory at San Diego Stadium.

March 1, 1969

"I can't play anymore. I can't hit the ball when I need to. I can't score from second base when I need to.” - MICKEY MANTLE , Yankee legend lamenting on his ability to play the game.

Citing "I can't hit when I need to," Mickey Mantle announces his retirement, thus ending his fabled Hall of Fame career. The oft-injured Yankee slugger ranks third, behind Babe Ruth and Willie Mays, on the all-time home run list with 536 round-trippers and finishes his 18-year stay in the majors with a .298 batting average.

September 13, 1969
 		Bobby Bonds, with his first-inning two-run homer in the Giants' 6-4 defeat to the Reds at Candlestick Park, becomes the fourth player in major league history to steal at least 30 bases and hit at least thirty home runs in the same season. The other members of the 30/30 club are Ken Williams (1922-Browns), Willie Mays (1956 & 1957-Giants), and Hank Aaron (1963-Braves).
July 18, 1970
 		Giants outfielder Willie Mays, in his 2,639th major league game, singles off of Expos right-hander Mike Wegener for his 3000th hit. The 'Say Hey Kid' reaches the milestone in the second inning of San Francisco's 10-1 rout of Montreal at Candlestick Park.
January 17, 1970
 		Willie Mays is named the Sporting News Player of the Decade for the sixties. During the ten years, the 'Say Hey Kid' averaged 100 RBIs and 35 home runs per season while batting .300 for the Giants.
June 17, 1970
 		At Candlestick Park, Willie Mays (615) and Ernie Banks (504) go deep in the Cubs' 6-1 victory over the Giants. The round-trippers mark the first time in baseball history that two players with 500 career home runs have homered in the same game.
April 27, 1971
 		Braves outfielder Hank Aaron joins Babe Ruth and Willie Mays as the only major league player to hit 600 career home runs. Hammerin' Hank's historic homer, a 350-foot drive over the left-field wall, comes off Gaylord Perry in the third inning of a 6-5 ten-inning loss to the Giants at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium.

April 6, 1971
 		Giants' center fielder Willie Mays, a month shy of his fortieth birthday, homers on Opening Day and will hit home runs in the next three games to tie a major league record. The 'Say Hey Kid' will hit 15 round-trippers before the All-Star break, collecting only three more to finish the year thanks to an abundance of base-on-balls, 30 more this season than he had at any time in his career.
May 8, 1971
 		Willie Mays (634) and Hank Aaron (604) hit round-trippers in the Braves' 5-2 victory over the Giants at Candlestick Park. The long flies mark the first time in baseball history two players with 600 career homers go deep in the same game.
May 11, 1972
 		After promising the club would never trade him, the cash-strapped Giants send Willie Mays, the only remaining player that moved to the West Coast with the team, to New York, the city where he began his Hall of Fame career in 1951, for right-hander Charlie Williams and $50,000 cash. Horace Stoneham, unable to guarantee his aging superstar an income when the outfielder retired, extracts a promise from the Mets that they will pay the 'Say Hey Kid' $50,000 annually for ten years after the future Hall of Famer stops playing.
May 14, 1972
 		After twenty-one seasons with the Giants, 41-year-old Willie Mays, playing first base and batting leadoff, dramatically returns to New York in his debut with the Mets. In the fifth inning, the Say Hey Kid hits a home run off Don Carrithers, his 647th career round-tripper, breaking a 4-4 deadlock and helping to defeat his former team, 5-4, at Shea Stadium.

June 10, 1972
 		Hank Aaron passes Willie Mays, moving into second place on the all-time home run list. The Braves outfielder connects for a grand slam, his 14th, to tie Gil Hodges' NL mark against the Phillies for his 649th career homer, 65 shy of Babe Ruth's total.
September 25, 1973

"I look at the kids over here, the way they're playing, the way they're fighting for themselves, and it tells me one thing: 'Willie, say good bye to America'." - WILLIE MAYS, bidding farewell to his fans at Shea Stadium.

Willie Mays Night takes place in Flushing as the Mets honor the fan-favorite player in an emotional 55-minute ceremony at Shea Stadium after their 2-1 victory over the Expos. The 'Say Hey Kid' tells the crowd of more than 50,000 fans, "Just to hear you cheer like this for me and not be able to do anything about it makes me a very sad man. This is my farewell."

October 8, 1973
 		In Game 3 of the NLCS, the Mets post a 9-2 victory over the Reds at Shea Stadium in a contest best remembered for the brawl ignited when Bud Harrelson took exception to Pete Rose's slide at second base to break up a double play. After the fight, the Mets, fearing a forfeit due to their fans' rowdy behavior, send an emissary, consisting of Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Cleon Jones, Tom Seaver, and Rusty Staub, out to left field to quell the crowd's unrest.

September 20, 1973
 		After sharing the news on the Today Show, Willie Mays officially announces his retirement at a press conference held at Shea Stadium's Diamond Club. The Mets will honor the aging superstar in five days with a pre-game ceremony at the ballpark.
March 11, 1973

"I didn't think I'd have to tell them everytime I cross the street. He made his point and he was right. I made a mistake. I should have told him." - WILLIE MAYS, commenting on his fine for leaving the Mets during spring training.

Mets manager Yogi Berra fines Willie Mays $500 for leaving the club without permission and missing the Saturday's workout. The aging superstar left the team for two days during spring training without notice and flew to California to be with his wife.

February 15, 1973
 		In a national poll, Phillies' southpaw Steve Carlton beats out golf legend Jack Nicklaus to win the $15,000 diamond-studded gold buckled Hickok Belt, an award given to the top "Professional Athlete of the Year." Last season's National League Cy Young Award winner joins an elite list of previous recipients, including Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Jim Brown, Rocky Marciano, and Arnold Palmer.

July 19, 1973
 		To quell a controversy over deserving players not being selected for the All-Star Game, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn grants permission to both leagues to increase their roster size to 29 players for next week's contest in Kansas City's Royals Stadium. The National League selects fading superstar Willie Mays, with the Junior Circuit adding Nolan Ryan, not originally picked by American League manager Dick Williams, even though the Angel right-hander was the first pitcher since Johnny Vander Meer, the starter in the 1938 Midsummer Classic, to toss two no-hitters before the break.
August 17, 1973
 		At Shea Stadium, 42-year-old Willie Mays hits the 660th and final home run of his career off Cincinnati southpaw Don Gullett. The Mets first baseman, who played 21 seasons roaming the outfield for the Giants before coming home to New York last season, is third on the all-time home run career list behind Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (703).
July 24, 1973
 		Although not selected, Willie Mays appears in his last All-Star Game thanks to Commissioner Bowie Kuhn increasing the player limit so the 'Say Hey Kid' could participate in the Midsummer Classic. Bobby Bonds, a Giants teammate of Mays, homers and doubles in the National League's 7-1 victory over the AL at Royals Stadium in Kansas City.
October 14, 1973
 		The contest in which Willie Mays gets his last hit, an RBI single that plates the decisive run in the 12th inning of the Mets' 10-7 victory over the A's in the second game of the World Series. The game, best remembered for the aging superstar's misadventures in the outfield when he loses two fly balls in the sun at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, takes four hours and 13 minutes to complete, making it the longest Fall Classic contest ever played.
May 30, 1974
 		Sadaharu Oh becomes the first Japanese player to hit 600 career homers, joining American big-leaguers Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays to reach the milestone. The 34-year-old Yomiuri Giants' first baseman will hit 868 round-trippers during his 22-year career, a world record.
October 22, 1974
 		Two well-known outfielders change teams when the Giants send Bobby Bonds to the Yankees for Bobby Murcer. The swap, considered among the biggest one-for-one trades in baseball history, of the next 'Willie Mays' (Bonds) for the next 'Mickey Mantle' (Murcer) marks the first time two $600,000 players have traded for one another.
September 23, 1977
 		Reds' outfielder George Foster becomes the tenth major leaguer to hit 50 home runs in a season and the first since Willie Mays accomplished the feat in 1965 with the Giants. En route to finishing with 52 round-trippers, the National League's eventual MVP hits the milestone blast off Buzz Capra with two outs in the ninth inning in the team's 5-1 win over the Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
October 29, 1979
 		Willie Mays, one of the game's most popular players, severs all ties with major league baseball when he accepts a public relations job with an Atlantic City casino. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn issued an ultimatum to the Hall of Fame outfielder to disassociate himself from the national pastime due to the gambling aspect of the position
May 3, 1979
 		In a 6-1 defeat to the Brewers, Indian outfielder Bobby Bonds hits his 300th home run off Moose Haas to become only the second player in major league history to steal at least 300 bases (413) and hit 300 round-trippers. Willie Mays was the first to accomplish the feat. (July 4, 1961).
August 5, 1979
 		The Hall of Fame enshrines outfielders Willie Mays (Giants, Mets) and Hack Wilson (Giants, Cubs, Dodgers, and Phillies). Baseball administrator Warren Giles, who served as the president of the National League from 1951 to 1969, is also inducted during the Cooperstown ceremony.
March 20, 1979
 		In Puerto Rico, Willie Mays, in the second game of an annual exhibition series to benefit a youth sports program started by the late Roberto Clemente, pilots a mini-squad of the Mets to an 8-3 win over the Pirates. Last night, after a 5-3 victory in Game 1, New York manager Joe Torre and many players returned to Florida to play the Dodgers in a Grapefruit League contest.
January 23, 1979
 		In his first year of eligibility, Willie Mays is selected by the BBWAA as a member of the Hall of Fame, receiving 409 of the 432 (94.7%) ballots cast. The center fielder, a five-tool player known mostly for his 21-year tenure with the Giants, is the only player elected by the writers for induction this summer, but 23 scribes inexplicably leave the 'Say-Hey Kid' off their ballots.
May 25, 1981
 		At Fenway Park, Carl Yastrzemski becomes the fifth major leaguer to appear in his 3,000th game, scoring the winning run in the Red Sox's 8-7 win over the Indians. Yaz, who will end his career in 1983 with 3,308, joins Hall of Famers Ty Cobb (1928/3034), Stan Musial (1963/3026), Hank Aaron (1976/3298), and Willie Mays (1973/3005) in reaching the milestone. 
October 2, 1981
 		New York's once-legendary center fielders, Giant Willie Mays, Dodger Duke Snider, and Yankee Mickey Mantle, are guests on the Warner Wolfe show. The appearance marks the first time all three Hall of Fame outfielders have been together on a television show.
August 22, 1984
 		Graig Nettles' fourth-inning two-run homer off Dwight Gooden is his seventh round-tripper in his last six games, tying a National League record shared by Walker Cooper, George Kelly, and Willie Mays. The Padres third baseman's blast, one of only three hits given up by the New York 19-year-old rookie in the Mets' 5-2 victory, accounts for all of San Diego's runs in the Jack Murphy Stadium contest.
March 18, 1985
 		Commissioner Peter Ueberroth reinstates Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Major League Baseball banned the two Hall of Famers from associating due to their employment with Atlantic City casinos.
September 11, 1987
 		With his 30th stolen base, Mets third baseman Howard Johnson becomes the first National League infielder to become a 30-30 club member. The other players in the Senior Circuit to have 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season are outfielders Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Bobby Bonds, Dale Murphy, and Eric Davis.
August 20, 1989
 		For the second time in his career, New York third baseman Howard Johnson hits 30 home runs and steals 30 bases in one season when he goes deep off Ramón Martínez in the Mets' 5-4 loss to the Dodgers at Shea Stadium. The 28-year-old HoJo joins Bobby Bonds and Willie Mays as the only players to have joined the 30-30 club on multiple occasions. 
July 11, 1989
 		In a contest best remembered for the Ruthian blast by Bo Jackson, the game's MVP who will join Willie Mays as the second player to hit a home run and steal a base in an All-Star Game, the American League beats the NL's best players, 5-3, at Anaheim Stadium. During the first inning of the Midsummer Classic, former US President and one-time baseball announcer Ronald Reagan joins Vin Scully in the NBC broadcast booth.

September 22, 1990
 		Andre Dawson becomes the second player to hit 300 home runs, steal 300 bases, and collect 2,000 hits. The Cubs’ outfielder joins Willie Mays in accomplishing the feat when he swipes his 300th career bag in an 11-5 loss to the Mets at Wrigley Field.
May 23, 1991
 		With his fourth-inning swipe of second base at Shea Stadium, Andre Dawson becomes the third member of the 300/300 club with his 300th stolen base. The 36-year-old Cubs outfielder, who has also hit 354 home runs, joins Bobby Bonds and Willie Mays in reaching the milestone.
September 18, 1992
 		At Three River Stadium, Barry Bonds connects his 30th home run of the season off Phillies' right-hander Terry Mulholland in the Pirates' 5-2 victory. The home run gives the Pirates outfielder his second 30/30 season, equaling a feat accomplished only by Bobby Bonds (his father), Willie Mays (his godfather), Howard Johnson, and Ron Gant.
August 29, 1993
 		Joining Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, George Brett becomes the third player in baseball history to swipe his 200th stolen base and collect 3,000 hits and 300 home runs. The Royals third baseman's historic heist occurs during a 5-4, 12-inning victory over the Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium.
May 13, 1993
 		One day before his 40th birthday, George Brett hits his 300th career home run, joining Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, Carl Yastrzemski, Willie Mays, and Al Kaline as the only players with three hundred homers and three thousand hits. A fan on a veterans' hospital outing who happens to be blind picks up the Royals' third baseman's historic ball.
April 27, 1996
 		Barry Bonds joins his father and godfather, becoming only the fourth major leaguer to hit 300 homers and swipe 300 bases as he homers for the Giants in a 6-3 victory over the Marlins. Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays, and Andre Dawson are the only other 300-300 players.
September 6, 1996
 		Eddie Murray of the Orioles becomes the 15th player in major league history to hit 500 home runs when his seventh-inning solo shot goes deep, knotting the score at 3-3 off Tiger pitcher Felipe Lira at Camden Yards. The Los Angeles native joins Hank Aaron and Willie Mays as the only players to reach this milestone and have three thousand hits.

April 4, 1998
 		En route to shattering the single-season mark for home runs, Mark McGwire homers in his fourth consecutive game to tie Willie Mays' 1971 mark for most homers to start a season. Big Mac's sixth-inning three-run Busch Stadium blast helps the Cardinals beat the Padres, 8-6.
September 30, 1999
 		The largest regular-season Candlestick Park crowd, 61,389 fans, watch the Giants lose to the Dodgers, 9-4, in their last game at the 'Points.' Former franchise greats help mark the occasion with Juan Marichal tossing the ceremonial first pitch and Willie Mays throwing out the ballpark's final pitch.
May 2, 1999
 		Rafael Palmeiro reaches the 2,000 career-hit milestone with a fourth-inning double in the Rangers' defeat 8-6 victory over the Indians at The Ballpark in Arlington. The 34-year-old designated hitter will join Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Eddie Murray as the only players to compile 3,000 hits and 500 home runs during their major league careers.
April 17, 2001
 		Barry Bonds becomes the 17th major leaguer and the fourth Giant to join the 500 home run club when he hits a Terry Adams' 2-0 heater into McCovey Cove at Pac Bell Park. The San Francisco left-fielder is joined at home plate by two other members of the elite fraternity, Willie Mays (660) and Willie McCovey (521), for a brief ceremony.

May 30, 2001
 		Barry Bonds hits career homer No. 522, passing Willie McCovey and Ted Williams to #11 on the all-time list and making him the number one lefty home run hitter in National League history. The round-tripper is the 17th hit by the Giant outfielder in May, breaking the record set by Mickey Mantle (1956) and Mark McGwire (1998).
August 27, 2001
 		Cubs' slugger Sammy Sosa, with his 17th dinger this month, ties the National League record for August homers, established by Willie Mays in 1965. Tiger first baseman Rudy York set the major league mark, going yard 18 times in the eighth month of 1937.
August 16, 2001
 		Barry Bonds' second home run of the game and 53rd of the season breaks the franchise record established by his godfather, Willie Mays. With his first homer, the left fielder eclipses the National League record for home runs by a left-handed batter, established in 1947 by another Giant, Johnny Mize.
August 9, 2002
 		Barry Bonds joins Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron as the only players to hit 600 career home runs. The 38-year-old Giant left fielder hit the milestone homer in the sixth inning by lining a 2-1 pitch thrown by Pirates starter Kip Wells over the center-field wall at Pacific Bell Park.

July 29, 2002

"To protect the game we all love and have given so much to, we suggest you agree to a qualified mediator that will allow you to find the common ground necessary to avoid a work stoppage." - TEXT FROM 40 HALL OF FAMERS, sent to Bud Selig and Donald Fehr.

A letter signed by 40 Hall of Famers and sent to baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union head Donald Fehr urges all sides 'to protect the game we all love and have given so much to, we suggest you agree to a qualified mediator that will allow you to find the common ground necessary to avoid a work stoppage" is released. The former outstanding players, including Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays, and Warren Spahn, believe another work stoppage in baseball would be a terrible mistake.

June 5, 2002
 		Barry Bonds passes Frank Robinson to become fourth on the all-time career home run list when he belts his 587th home run. The historic grand slam, believed to be one of the longest homers ever hit in the 34-year history of the ballpark now called Qualcomm Stadium, puts the Giants' left fielder, the single-season home run record holder, with 73, precisely 73 behind Willie Mays' 660 round-trippers for third place.
September 25, 2003
 		Surpassing Mel Ott and Willie Mays, Sammy Sosa becomes the first National Leaguer to have at least 100 RBIs for nine straight seasons. The Cubs' right fielder also joins Rafael Palmeiro and Jimmie Foxx as the only players in major league history to hit 35 home runs and 100 RBI for nine consecutive seasons.
April 12, 2004
 		At the Giants' home opener at SBC Park, the passing of the torch occurs both literally and figuratively when Barry Bonds hit his 660th career homer to tie his godfather, Willie Mays, for third on the all-time home run list. The 72-year-old Hall of Famer Mays greets his godson at home plate with a torch studded with $18,000 of diamonds forming the numbers 660, 25 (Barry's number), and 1 (the number of round-trippers needed to move ahead).

April 13, 2004
 		At SBC Park, Barry Bonds hits his 661st career homer off Brewers hurler Ben Ford to move up to third on the all-time home run career list, passing his godfather, Willie Mays, and leaving the 39-year-old Giant left fielder 53 behind Babe Ruth (714) and needs 94 to tie Hank Aaron (755). Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator Larry Ellison, a Giants fan who also 'caught' and gave No. 660 to a grateful Bonds, scoops the historic 468-foot seventh-inning blast out of McCovey Cove and decides to keep this wet souvenir.
June 12, 2004
 		In interleague action, Barry Bonds (675) of the Giants and Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmeiro (536 and 537 to pass Mickey Mantle) both homer in a 9-6 San Francisco victory at Camden Yards. The sluggers join Willie Mays and Ernie Banks (1970) and Mays and Hank Aaron (1971) as only the third pair in baseball history to have 500 career home runs and connect in the same game.
July 15, 2005
 		With an RBI double off Joel Pineiro at Safeco Field, Rafael Palmeiro becomes the 26th player to collect 3000 hits. The Orioles' first baseman joins Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Eddie Murray as one of four major leaguers to record 3,000 hits and hit 500 home runs.

May 21, 2005
 		Before their interleague game with the Athletics, the Giants pay tribute to Juan Marichal by dedicating a nine-foot bronze statue outside SBC Park. The 'Dominican Dandy,' a San Francisco hurler from 1960 to 1973, joins Willie Mays and Willie McCovey as the third player to be honored.

Statue of Juan Marichal by Leo Panetta
June 10, 2006
 		In the Royals' 9-5 loss to Tampa Bay at Kauffman Stadium, Reggie Sanders hits his 300th career home run off Chad Harville. The Kansas City outfielder becomes the fifth player in major league history to hit 300 home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Barry and Bobby Bonds, Andre Dawson, and Willie Mays.
September 9, 2007
 		In the first inning at Detroit's Comerica Park, Curtis Granderson steals his 20th base of the season to become only the third major leaguer to belong to the 20-20-20-20 club. The Tigers center fielder joins Frank Schulte (1911 - Cubs) and Willie Mays (1957 - Giants) as the only players to record 20 home runs, 20 triples, and 20 doubles, as well as swiping 20 bases in a season.
September 30, 2007
 		Jimmy Rollins triples to become the fourth big leaguer to record 20 stolen bases, 20 homers, 20 triples, and 20 doubles in a season. The Phillies shortstop and MVP candidate joins Frank Schulte (1911 - Cubs), Willie Mays (1957 - Giants), and Curtis Granderson (2007 - Tigers) as the only players in major league history to accomplish the feat.
June 20, 2007
 		Connecting on a fifth-inning hanging breaking ball thrown by Cubs' hurler Jason Marquis, Sammy Sosa becomes the fifth major league player to hit 600 career home runs. The Rangers' designated hitter, who missed the entire season last year, joins Hank Aaron (755), Barry Bonds (748), Babe Ruth (714), and Willie Mays (660) in reaching the milestone.
September 28, 2008
 		The Mets play their final game at Shea Stadium, a 4-2 loss to the Marlins, disappointing a sellout crowd by failing to qualify for the postseason on the season's last day for the second consecutive year. After the contest, former Mets, including Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, and Tom Seaver, as well as Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, and Mike Piazza, but not any of the club's current players, take part in a ceremony to celebrate the history of the 45-year-old ballpark in front of the subdued spectators gathered to 'Shea Goodbye.'
February 4, 2008
 		Curtis Granderson (.302, 23, 74) and the Tigers come to terms on a five-year contract, including a club option for 2013 worth $30.25 million. Last season, the 26-year-old outfielder became the third player in major league history, joining Willie Mays and Frank Schulte, to swipe 20 bases and hit at least 20 home runs, 20 triples, and 20 doubles.

(Ed. Note: On the last day of the same season, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins hits a triple to become the fourth member of this elite group - LP)

February 18, 2009
 		After considering playing for Atlanta, a location closer to his family, Ken Griffey Jr. agrees to a one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners. The 39-year-old outfielder joins a list of superstars, Babe Ruth (Boston), Willie Mays (New York), and Hank Aaron (Milwaukee), to choose the city where they played with their first team as the place to end their major league career.
January 6, 2010
 		In his ninth year on the BBWAA's ballot, Andre Dawson is the only player to receive 75% or more of the writers' votes (77.9) necessary for election to the Hall of Fame. The former National League Rookie of the Year (1977 - Montreal) and MVP (1987 - Chicago), an outfielder for the Expos, Cubs, Red Sox, and the Marlins, is one of three players, along with Willie Mays and Barry Bonds, to exceed 400 homers and 300 stolen bases during his 21-year major league career.
September 22, 2011
 		Thanks to Shane Victorino's million-dollar pledge, the renovated 105-year-old Nicetown Boys & Girls Club celebrates its grand opening. The inner-city facility, now named after the Phillies' All-Star center fielder, is only the second club in the country to bear the name of a major leaguer, with the 'Flying Hawaiian' sharing the distinction with Willie Mays.
April 5, 2013
 		Joining Willie Mays (1971), Mark McGwire (1998), and Nelson Cruz (2011), Chris Davis, who collects a grand slam and five RBIs in the Orioles' home opener, becomes the fourth player in major league history to homer in his first four games of the season. The 27-year-old Baltimore first baseman also breaks the RBI mark for the same span, driving in 16 runs, four more than the previous record shared by three players.

November 24, 2015
 		Hall of Famers Yogi Berra and Willie Mays become the 10th and 11th major leaguers to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Obama honored the baseball icons in a White House ceremony, praising the recently deceased Yankee catcher and the Giants superstar outfielder for inspiring generations of Americans.


July 14, 2015
 		Before the 86th All-Star Game at the Great American Ball Park, MLB announces the selection of Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench, Sandy Koufax, and Willie Mays as the sport's greatest living players. The pregame program also unveils the fans' choices of the "Franchise Four," naming impactful players who best represent each franchise, including the hometown Reds with Johnny Bench, Barry Larkin, Joe Morgan, and Pete Rose, who receives a loud ovation from the Cincinnati fans.
May 1, 2015

"Congratulations to Alex Rodriguez on his 660th home run. Milestones in baseball are meant to be broken and I wish him continued success throughout his career” - WILLIE MAYS, congratulating A-Rod on tying him on the all-time home run list in fourth place. 

Amidst very audible boos at Fenway Park, Alex Rodriguez blasts a 3-0 fastball over the Green Monster for his 660th career home run, tying Willie Mays for fourth on the all-time home run list. The eighth-inning round-tripper, the first pinch-hit homer of A-Rod's career, proves to be the difference in the Yankees' 3-2 victory over the Red Sox.

April 8, 2016
 		Trevor Story becomes the first player in major league history to homer six times in the first four games of a season when he goes deep twice in the Rockies' 13-6 loss to San Diego at Coors Field. The 23-year-old Colorado rookie shortstop is the fifth player to homer in four consecutive contests to start a season, and a feat also accomplished by Chris Davis (Orioles, 2013), Nelson Cruz (Rangers, 2011), Mark McGwire (Cardinals, 1998), and Willie Mays (Giants, 1971).
July 15, 2019
 		Joining Willie Mays (1961) and Orlando Cepeda (1961), Brandon Crawford becomes the third Giants player since the franchise moved to San Francisco in 1958 to drive in eight runs in a single game. In a record-setting 19-2 victory over the Rockies, the 32-year-old shortstop is also the first Giants player with two homers and eight RBIs in a game since Mays' 1961 performance.
September 1, 2020
 		In the Giants' 23-5 Giants' rout of the Rockies at offensively friendly Coors Field, Alex Dickerson blasts homers in the first, second, and sixth innings and doubles in the fourth and ninth. The 30-year-old left fielder's 16 total bases equal the franchise mark established by Willie Mays when he hit four round-trippers in a 1961 contest against the Braves. 

(Ed. Note: Joining Kris Bryant (Cubs-2016) and Matt Carpenter (Cardinals- 2018), Dickerson becomes the third major leaguer to hit a trio of homers and pair of doubles in a game. LP)

 
August 27, 2022
 		As part of their Old Timers' Day ceremonies at Citi Field, the Mets retire the #24 jersey once worn by Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Mays, who appeared in only 135 games with the Amazins but became legendary playing 21 of his 23 seasons with the Giants after starting his career in 1951 when the team called New York home. The club's first owner, Joan Payson, allegedly told the superstar in 1972 that he would be the last player in franchise history to wear the number, a promise not quite kept when Kelvin Torve wore the digits in 1990, followed by Rickey Henderson and Robinson Canó.
April 23, 2022
 		Tigers legend Miguel Cabrera becomes the 33rd player and first Venezuelan to collect 3000 career hits, grounding an opposite-field first-inning single to right field off fellow countryman Antonio Senzatela in the team's 13-0 rout of the Rockies at Comerica Park. The 39-year-old two-time American League MVP (2012 and 2013) joins Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Willie Mays, Rafael Palmeiro, Eddie Murray, and Hank Aaron as the seventh major leaguer to have reached the 3,000 hit and 500 home run milestones.
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