On May 11, 1972, the Mets made a trade with the San Francisco Giants to bring a legend back to where he began his career, when they acquired Willie Mays for pitcher Charlie Williams and cash ($50,000). Mays would be able to end his career in New York, where it began at the Polo Grounds for the New York Giants in 1951.

Giants’ owner, Horace Stoneham, was able to secure an agreement from the Mets that they would pay Mays $50,ooo per year for the first ten years of his retirement. The Mets were willing, and Mays played his first game in blue and orange on Sunday, May 14, when the opponent was the San Francisco Giants.

In storybook fashion, on a rainy afternoon in Queens, Mays hit what proved to be the game-winning home run for the Mets in the fifth inning, and the Mets would go on to win the game by a 5-4 score. The Mets had jumped out early on a Rusty Staub grand slam in the first inning, but the Giants tied the game in the top of the fifth with four runs against starter Ray Sadecki.

Enter Willie Mays, who played first base in the game, and his home run heroics. Jim McAndrew pitched four innings in relief and preserved the win for the New Yorkers.

Mays, who turned 90 years old on May 6, is referred to as the greatest living baseball player, and many would argue that he is the greatest player in the history of the game. Here is a look at some of his key statistics, and his standing in MLB history.

  • Home runs: 660 (6th)
  • Hits: 3283 (11th)
  • RBIs: 1903 (10th)
  • Runs: 2062 (7th)

Here are some of Mays’ career awards:

  • Hall of Fame (1979 with 94.7%)
  • 24 All-Star Games
  • 1951 Rookie of the Year
  • 1954 Player of the Year
  • N.L. MVP (1954, 1965)
  • ASG MVP (1963, 1968)
  • 12 Gold Glove awards
  • bWAR leader (1954-1958, 1960, 1962-1965)
  • Career bWAR of 156.1 (5th all time)

Mays played 21 seasons with the Giants (New York and San Francisco) and two seasons with the Mets. He ended his career with a slash line of .302/.384/.557 with an OPS of .941 and an OPS+ of 156. He led the National League in stolen bases from 1956-1959.

As a Met, Mays hit 14 home runs over two seasons in a part-time role. He had the opportunity to end his playing days in the World Series, competing as a Met in the 1973 Fall Classic against the Oakland Athletics. Mays hit .286 in that World Series in three games.

One of the most enduring images of Mays as a Met is his pleading with home plate umpire Augie Donatelli, who called Bud Harrelson out on this play at the plate in extra innings of Game Two.

Mays drove in the winning run in extra innings of Game Two, and that was the last hit of his playing career. He had announced his retirement to the Shea Stadium faithful on the field on September 25, 1973.

Mays, who suffers from Glaucoma, entered into a lifetime services contract with the Giants after his playing career. He makes appearances for the team, and is honored with Oracle Park sitting in Willie Mays Plaza.

As a final note, Mays missed the entire 1953 season because of military service. In current times, it’s hard to imagine that players, into the early 1970s, would miss seasons or parts of seasons to fulfill their obligations in our nation’s military.

Here’s a Metsmerized hat tip to the Say-Hey Kid, Willie Mays.