Millions are mourning the loss of baseball legend Willie Mays. “He’s just an icon. It’s a loss for America; it’s a loss for sports,” said Orange County Regional History Center Curator Travis Petersburg. Mays, a World Series champion and two-time league MVP, was renowned for his all-around skills on the field.
“He was a five-tool player. He could literally do everything that you want. He is an instant Hall of Famer. One of the most recognizable speakers in Major League Baseball,” Peterburgh said. While many know Mays for his time with the Giants, the team was originally based in New York. Interestingly, Mays could have played in Sanford during his early career.
Central Floridians remember baseball icon Willie Mays https://t.co/87btnc1bKi
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“He was still in high school when he was playing in the Negro Leagues. The Giants purchased his contract in 1950, and by the next year, he was in the major leagues. So, there’s a very narrow window where he could have been playing some minor league ball or instructional ball in Sanford,” Peterburgh explained.
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Former UCF Sports History Professor Richard Crepeau reminisced about seeing Mays play and witnessing a catch that predated the famous “The Catch” in the World Series. “He ran as fast as he could, caught a ball over his shoulder very much like the big catch, and then threw back to home plate. It took the air out of the stadium. When he made the big catch in the World Series, I said, ‘Wow, I’ve seen this before,’” Crepeau recalled. Mays also paused his career to serve in the military for two years, further cementing his legacy as one of the most influential figures in sports history.
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