"I cried for most of the night" - When Willie Mays emotionally reacted to Barack Obama's historic presidential victory
The MLB world is mourning the death of baseball legend Willie Mays on Tuesday at 93 years old. The "Say Hey Kid" is one of the greatest players to ever step onto a baseball field, earning a whopping 24 All-Star selections, 12 Gold Glove Awards, a pair of World Series titles, and a Hall of Fame induction.
"24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glover, 2-time MVP, World Series champion, Hall of Famer. MLB Network mourns the passing of one of our game’s most iconic figures, Willie Mays." - @MLBNetwork
The San Francisco Giants icon spent 21 years with the cteam establishing himself as one of the most beloved players in franchise history. After retiring from baseball at the end of the 1973 season, Willie Mays received a number of honors and praise from former players, coaches and executives for his contributions on and off the field.
It was not only the baseball community that honored Mays, as the MLB legend received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 from President Barack Obama. While the medal was undoubtedly something special for Mays, the man who presented him the honor may have been even more important.
"Barack Obama in 2015: “A few years ago Willie Mays rode with me on Air Force One. I told him that it’s because of giants like Willie that someone like me could even think about running for president.” RIP Willie" - @vincedmonroy
"I cried for most of the night," Mays said after Barack Obama won the United States presidential election in 2008. "So I'm just proud of him, you know. He may be proud of something else. But I'm proud of him, what he stands for," the Giants legend said after Obama became the first African-American president in US history.
Willie Mays will forever be remembered as one of the all-time great players in MLB history
After news that Mays had passes away, a number of tributes came out from across the globe. From Barack Obama to Derek Jeter, some of Mays' most famous fans and friends paid tribute to the iconic San Francisco Giants superstar. While the news is undoubtedly sad, it's the legacy that Mays left behind that will live on forever.
Mays was included in the MLB All-Century Team in 1999, while also being ranked as the number one player of all-time on The Athletic's "Baseball 100" list. The 93-year-old's legacy will live on forever, and his impact on the baseball community will never be forgotten.