1 of 5 | Willie Mays (L) was the godfather to fellow San Francisco Giants legend Barry Bonds. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. were among the baseball legends to offer reflection and condolences on social media in response to Willie Mays’ death, saying they are “devastated” by the loss.
“I am beyond devastated and overcome with emotion,” Bonds said of Mays, who died Tuesday of heart failure. “I have no words to describe what you mean to me. Advertisement
“You helped shape me to be who I am today. Thank you for being my godfather and always being there. Give my dad a hug for me. Rest in peace Willie, I love you forever.”
Mays was teammates with Bonds’ father, Bobby Bonds, from 1968 to 1972. He also was on hand to watch Bonds hit his 756th career home run, setting a new mark for the most in MLB history, on Aug. 7, 2007.
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Griffey, who wore the same number (24) as Mays, wrote on Instagram that he was “heartbroken and devastated” and called Mays the “godfather of all centerfields.” Advertisement
He also appeared on MLB Network and said his “heart is on the floor.”
“I was supposed to see him a couple weeks ago,” Griffey said. “I got a call saying, ‘hey, the doctor wanted him to rest.’ To hear the news is devastating.”
"I'm just grateful and thankful that I was able to spend the time I had with him because he is a true giant, on and off the field." – Ken Griffey Jr. on Willie Mays pic.twitter.com/wuba7Ee0Gf— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 19, 2024
Griffey met Mays when he was a child, while watching his dad, Ken Griffey Sr., play for the Cincinnati Reds. He said Mays later started mentoring him when he was a 17-year-old baseball phenom.
“We started a mentorship that only few have,” Griffey said. “I’m just grateful and thankful that I was able to spent the time I had with him because he is a true giant on and off the field.”
Former All-Star outfielder and MLB manager Dusty Baker — a childhood friend of Bobby Bonds — told USA Today that he visited with Mays on Monday at his Bay Area home, just one day before his death. Advertisement
“There’s just something that told me to go see him,” Baker said. “My dad used to always tell me that if you’re thinking of someone, don’t put it off. You don’t know if you’ll see them again. Well, I went to see him, and thank God I did.”
Former President Barack Obama was among the many other notable people to comment on Bonds’ death on social media.
“Willie Mays wasn’t just a singular athlete, blessed with an unmatched combination of grace, skill and power,” Obama wrote. “He was also a wonderfully warm and generous person — and an inspiration to an entire generation. I’m lucky to have spent time with him over the years, and Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family.”
Actor Billy Crystal, tennis icon Billie Jean King and NBA legend Magic Johnson also commented on Mays’ death.
He was a 24-time All-Star, a 12-time Gold Glover, a 2-time MVP, World Series champion, and a Hall of Famer.
The great Willie Mays has passed away. It was a privilege to know him. We were both honored by @MLB in 2010 with the Beacon Award, given to civil rights pioneers. Advertisement
He was… pic.twitter.com/wdTTNUiEmt— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) June 19, 2024
Mays, 93, announced earlier this week that he would not be able to attend an MLB game played in his honor Thursday at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala. The baseball legend made his professional debut there in 1948 as a 17-year-old outfielder for the Negro Leagues’ Birmingham Black Barons.
A public address announcer told the crowd attending a minor league game Tuesday at Rickwood Field about Mays’ death. A tribute video also was played for the attendees, who gave Mays a standing ovation.
A pregame ceremony is planned for Thursday, when the St. Louis Cardinals face the Giants at 7:15 p.m. EDT in Birmingham. That matchup will air on Fox.
Notable deaths of 2024
Willie MaysBaseball Hall of Famer and former San Francisco Giants player Willie Mays removes his cap during a ceremony to retire Barry Bonds’ number 25 in San Francisco on August 11, 2018. Mays, one of the last living former participants of the Negro Leagues, died at the age of 93 on June 18. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
