Heck of a game tonight in Heaven

By Silvio Canto, Jr.

Back in 1972, the Giants traded Willie Mays to the Mets. He was supposedly finished as a player, but he was still Willie Mays and ticket sales reflected that.

A year later, the Mets got into the World Series and Mays got another shot to play in what they used to call The Fall Classic.

In the summer of 1972, I joined a few school friends and we drove to New York for a little sightseeing. We learned that the Mets were in town and we took the train to Shea to watch #24.

It was a thrill and the crowd went crazy every time that Willie was on the field. I remember telling my parents that I got to watch Mays. They asked: “What about "los rascacielos" (Spanish for skyscrapers)” and I said they were O.K.

Seeing Mays play was my highlight of that trip.

Willie Mays died yesterday. He was 93. I don't know if he was the best ever but he was one of the best.

This is from Chris Haft:

Few ballplayers matched the multifaceted brilliance of Mays, who ranks sixth all time with 660 home runs and won 12 Gold Glove Awards for his defense in center field -- which he helped turn into the game's most glamorous position in the 1950s, when he, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider all played for New York clubs. Mays became the first player to exceed 300 homers and 300 stolen bases in 1969, reflecting his ideal blend of power and speed.

The numbers speak for themselves.

Most of the time I watched Mays on T.V. because we lived in an American League city and got the Saturday afternoon game of the week on NBC. And many times Mays and the Giants were on TV.

What made Mays so great is that he always brought excitement to the game. He could hit a home run, steal a base, make a great catch or throw out a runner. Something was going to happen when Mays was playing and that was the magic of Willie.

Rest in peace.

Willie, Mickey and the Duke are up in Heaven.

I've got to believe that there is a game of giants up there and Willie just got into the lineup.

And my late father, and his Cuban friends, are on their way to the game talking about Mays and the old Cuban winter ball league.

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Image: Library of Congress, via Wikipedia // public domain