Just an amazing player, literally one of the best.
I think it will be very interesting here in the next few years as MLB adds more of the Negro Leagues' data to the official stats. Willie's official stats have already been increased. If you would like to assist in the effort to recognize the efforts of those men, then please consider volunteering time here: https://www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues/NegroLeagues.html
I know for a fact that they are in dire need of coders and programmers to help with web development for submitting newspaper clippings and other records.
Additionally, if you or anyone you know has access to old newspaper clippings and other records, say in an attic or basement, please get in contact with the above people.
The YouTube algorithm actually worked pretty well for once. It linked to this [1] video for me that broke down that catch. I'm not a big baseball fan and so that catch looked nice, but not especially remarkable, to me. The video breaking down exactly what you're watching there is really helpful for understanding what's really going on.
> In fact, Mays and his wife, Marghuerite, were rejected when trying to buy a house in St. Francis Wood, a prestigious San Francisco neighborhood, because they were Black.
These maps are pretty interesting. It seems like no one besides black people live in black neighborhoods but otherwise the other neighborhoods are relatively mixed if you zoom in.
The Bay Area (including San Francisco) had quite a large modern day military presence up until recently. Treasure Island, BVHP, Presidio, Ft. Point, Ft. Mason, Ft. Funston, Ft. Cronkhite, Alameda, Moffett, Mare Island, Hamilton, Port Chicago, Oakland, Pt Molate, LLNL, Mt. Tam, etc., etc.
All of those saw active use during WW2, many up through the cold war. Letterman was used in every 20th century US foreign conflict. Sure, most of them were decommissioned during the Clinton era. But if it only took three decades to bring back segregation perhaps the military didn't bring lasting integration in the first place.
And if you look beyond the military towards support folks, the Bay Area saw a huge influx of immigrants during WW2 (e.g. for ship building). One look at Marin City and you'll notice the white immigrants got out ASAP.
Quite frankly I'd be careful calling San Diego "integrated". Perhaps the city proper is, but in my experience the burbs aren't necessarily (especially the more posh ones). Once you hit north county it turns in to duelling banjo country right quick. They don't call it Klantee without reason.
Met an individual while mooring a boat at the Berkeley Marina who was kind of a Bay Area time capsule.
He grew up on a houseboat in Sausalito, during WWII, and mentioned while the parents were working at the shipyards the kids would all go to a big gym and watch from a projector. Think they were given warm milk too.
He has a few stories that make Marin/East bay seem so small town. Times before the Richmond-San Rafael bridge.
The Bay Area used to have a large ferry system as well so suppose ship building makes sense.
To be fair, even a heavily segregated city like Chicago seems to be devoid of other races in black neighborhoods, but everywhere else the neighborhoods are pretty well integrated, including black people in those neighborhoods.
While I've family in both Chicago and San Diego it's been a much longer time since I've visited Chicago. So it's much easier for me to point out that SoCal (e.g. Surf City and Santee) has struggled with neo-nazis for a long time than it is for me to comment on the midwest with much authority. Although to be fair, it's a Chicago relative that got written up by the Tribune for being obscenely racist and violent.
I don't think it's particularly reasonable to paint black neighborhoods as uniquely or even inherently segregated. One of the things I loved about Oakland was how diverse it is across pretty much any criteria (economic, cultural, gender, racial, etc.). Even in the hills. And that's something sorely missing from San Francisco (and most parts of the Bay Area).
Someone (upper manhattan born and raised) once commented to me that they felt New York City was quite segregated. From their POV whatever integration you see is a result of folks commuting for (typically service industry) work. At the end of the day they'd just return home to their segregated communities.
I knew that Mays was a legend but never saw him play or interviewed. Only today did I learn today that he was black and joined MLB just three years after Jackie Robinson.
One of the best to ever do it. I remember going to opening day at Pac Bell Park where Willie was hanging out next to his statue. It's a real good one that summarizes one of the greatest players in history.
Seeing Willie and the Giants at the games when I was a kid are some of fondest memories of when life was simple.
He passed away less than two days before Major League Baseball would be playing a regular season game in recognition of the Negro Leagues for the first time at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Willie Mays played for the Birmingham Black Barons before he was picked up by the SF Giants.
Mays wouldn't have been at the game due to health problems, but he was the oldest living Baseball Hall-of-Famer when he passed today. He was interviewed for the story and was rightfully honored when the announcement was made last year.[0] He almost made it.
Since we heard the news yesterday there has been a continuous stream of people paying their respects at his statue here in Willie Mays Plaza, bringing flowers and saying their goodbyes. There were people there at 1am and in the morning when we woke up.
When he would come to games I remember people being extatic that he was just attending that day. Imagine seeing him play.
It always surprised me how baseball never caught on in the UK. American football did a little better, but not by much. Same with NHL to be honest, interest in hockey seemed to peak with the Mighty Ducks movie.
I remember the first of the London Series games. Yankee v Red Sox, and what a perfect, iconic baseball matchup it was.
The first game was 17-13, which is quite high. Bugs Bunny baseball slugfest.
I was hoping after the London visitors got a taste of that extreme game that the next day it go the other way and would be one of those grinding, 15 inning, 1-0, pitching duels.
Massive basketball (top 5 domestic league, huge NBA market) but baseball is relegated to a 2-month semi-pro competition in front of maybe a thousand people.
Which is a shame, a lot of the enjoyment (some of it, I'm a Cubs fan, I get enjoyment out of baseball where I can) I get out of Baseball is the same as Cricket
I think it will be very interesting here in the next few years as MLB adds more of the Negro Leagues' data to the official stats. Willie's official stats have already been increased. If you would like to assist in the effort to recognize the efforts of those men, then please consider volunteering time here: https://www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues/NegroLeagues.html
I know for a fact that they are in dire need of coders and programmers to help with web development for submitting newspaper clippings and other records.
Additionally, if you or anyone you know has access to old newspaper clippings and other records, say in an attic or basement, please get in contact with the above people.
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