Willie Mays, a legend with the Giants and former Mets outfielder, passed away at the age of 93 on Tuesday afternoon.
"My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life’s blood," Mays' son Michael said in a statement released by the Giants.
Mays, who had his No. 24 retired by the Mets in 2022, will forever go down as one of the greatest players in baseball history.
The legendary outfielder began his career with the New York Giants as a 20-year-old phenom and he quickly took the league by storm, securing the Rookie of the Year in 1951.
After taking the 1953 season off to serve in the U.S. Military, he returned and didn't miss a beat, winning his first of two MVP awards with a spectacular campaign in which he drove in 110 runs and helped carry the Giants to the World Series.
Mays spent the first 21 seasons of his career with the Giants in both New York and San Francisco before being traded to the Mets midway through the 1972 campaign, where he played the final two years of his career and served as a key piece on the 1973 NL championship team.
The "Say Hey Kid" played the game with a style like no one else and he finished his illustrious career hitting a stellar .301 with 525 doubles, 141 triples, 660 home runs, 1,909 RBI, and 339 stolen bases.
He made one of the most memorable defensive plays in baseball history, was a 24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove award winner, a two-time MVP, and a Hall of Famer.
"All of Major League Baseball is in mourning today as we are gathered at the very ballpark where a career and a legacy like no other began Willie Mays took his all-around brilliance from the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League to the historic Giants franchise. From coast to coast in New York and San Francisco, Willie inspired generations of players and fans as the game grew and truly earned its place as our National Pastime," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
"His incredible achievements and statistics do not begin to describe the awe that came with watching Willie Mays dominate the game in every way imaginable. We will never forget this true Giant on and off the field. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Willie’s family, his friends across our game, Giants fans everywhere, and his countless admirers across the world."
“Willie Mays was one of the greatest to ever play the game," read a statement from Mets owner Steve Cohen. "Willie ended his Hall of Fame career in Queens and was a key piece to the 1973 NL championship team. Mays played with a style and grace like no one else. Alex and I were thrilled to honor a previous promise from Joan Payson to retire his iconic #24 as a member of the Mets in 2022. On behalf of our entire organization, we send our thoughts and prayers to Willie’s family and friends.”