Down Memory Lane With Willie Mays

By Larry Hicks OPINION – He lived a glorious and long life – but in this moment that does not ease the sadness. Willie Mays, the iconic Giants center fielder, and the greatest player to ever grace a baseball field, died Tuesday in Palo Alto. He was 93. His exploits on the field are undeniable, and in some cases legendary. Nearly two years of prime in the 1950s were spent in the Army, preventing Mays from adding to gaudy home run, RBI, runs and stolen base statistics. For a baby boomer like me, the passing of Mays reminds us once again, and all too often recently, of the limit to life. Conversely it also evokes fond memories of growing up during his heyday. When I think of Mays now, I think of my late father, who was a huge fan. It was a time when baseball was mostly heard on the radio, more than being seen on television. On radio I hear the voices of play-by-play announcers Lon Simmons and Gil Hodges colorfully describing the action. Fortunately, in the 1960s I also saw Mays play in person a couple of times at Candlestick Park, the Giants’ windy home field. On...