why is willie mays so overlooked in his career?

Question

Talking to baseball experts, most say he was the best they ever saw to play. But on here, no one gives him respect. For example, there was a dabate saying who was better out of Mays and Mantle, and most (albeit young, east coast fans) said Mantle. I think he is one of the top 3 players of all time.

We all know hes not overlooked in respect to the HOF, but when you talk about the greats, hes gotta be in the top 10...and for you guys that dont put bonds on the list is absurd..steroids or not. Good feedback overall though

Answer 1

Willie Mays once said, " if I would have known that a 40 homerun and 40 stolen base season was going to be such a big deal I would have done it every year" and there is no doubt in my mind that he could have done just that. I saw Willie Mays play many games and I believe he was one of the top three players of all time. He could do it all, and always with class. The "say hey" kid was the man. From this point on I don't understand your point since most everyone will agree with you. You have to remember that Mantle played on winning Yankee teams and players such as Mays, Aaron, and Clemente did not, and that is where I believe the problem is with the young people today. Without ever seeing Mays many will conclude that Mantle must have been better because he was the key player on winning teams. History has given Mays his just rewards and his accomplishments are there for the young fans of today to see, but they have to go looking for it.

Answer 2

Willie Mays is not overlooked by any means. During his playing days there was no better player in the National League. A first ballot hall of famer, 660 home runs and well over 3000 hits in his career.

A lot has to do with the age of people who are on this website. Most, it would seem, are too young to know who Mays was as a player. Most on this website unfortunately know very little about baseball, period.

I've been around for awhile so I saw Mays play and know first hand how great he was. However the greatest talent I've ever seen was without a doubt Mickey Mantle. If he had played with a healthy body and had a healthy career, A-Rod would be chasing Mantles records instead of "steroid boy".

My top ten greatest players (non-pitchers) of all time in no particular order are:

Mickey Mantle
Roberto Clemente
Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Ted Williams
Mike Schmidt
Ken Griffey Jr.
A-Rod

Answer 3

Unquestionably, Willie was a 5-tool player-Hit, Hit with power, Speed, catch and throw.

The reason why he no longer gets the respect he deserves is, (1) as you said, the age of the fans, (2) the Yankee appeal vs. the Giants/Bobby Bonds stigma; being a Yankee one gets immortalized as Joe D did even though Teddy Baby had a better career (I am a die-hard Yankee fan, and have been for over 50 years, but also able to tell that Ted Williams with the longeivty of his career alone, was a far-better player) (3) Hank Aaron stole much of the Say Hey Kid's thunder because, sadly, this nation is NOT colorblind.

I saw Willie on TV in his prime, from 1959-retirement. His catch on Vic Wertz in the 1954 World Series actually is not as splendid as the throw after the catch, when he just whirled,with his back to the plate and fired a bullet.

There was absolutely nothing Willie Mays could not, and would not, do. And, he was tough-as he would say, "There is only one way to retaliate when someone throws at your head,. On the next pitch, hit it out of the park."

The stories of how he was with the kids was true, as well. He played stickball, and was a four-sewer man, with the kids of Harlem and New York.

I was a NY'er for the Mick's career, and if not for his knees, he would have been all the things Willie was on the basepaths and in the field, but I never saw the Mick throw like Willie Mays, and I loved Mantle.

Babe Ruith was incredible-as a pitcher and a hitter, but forget about his speed.
Ty Cobb was never a home run hitter.
Mickie could not throw as well as Willie; Hank could not steal bases like Willie could.
We will never know what Bobby could do clean, or how clean he was, to judge him.

When it comes to having all 5-tools, there may never have been a better ballplayer than Willie Mays.

Answer 4

I don't think he's been overlooked - he's just living the quiet life . . . . Mantle was a slugger with bad knees and was only fair on the field and base running . . . His blasting home runs were a marvel to see . . .

Willie Mays was poetry in motion on the outfield - - - He had a graceful way of moving and running and made it look like it was so easy to do when he'd chase down and catch a ball . . .

Mays was also NUMERO UNO in his love of the fans . . . When all the other players would run into the players' entrance at the ball park to avoid the crowd, the "Say Hey" guy would walk over to the bleacher entrance and be surrounded with kids and fans until it was time to go to work . . .
I don't think that anyone had more fun at his job than Willie Mays, a kind and wonderful person as well as being one of the greatest all-around players in baseball history . . .

Answer 5

Willie Mays, one of only three members to reach the 500 home run and 3,000 hit clubs, is considered by many to be the greatest all-around baseball player who ever put on a major league uniform. He had awesome power, terrific speed, a fabulous glove, and he did it all with a love for the game that was obvious to all. He ended his career with 660 homers, 3,283 hits, a .302 average, 12 Gold Glove awards, and two Most Valuable Player awards. He is over looked now because we have new superstars like arod

Answer 6

Overlooked?

He's in the Hall Of Fame and people routinely described him as "the best all-around player ever". I don't see where there's a lot of room to make his pedestal higher.

Here on Y!A, though, he's been retired for twice as long as many posters have been drawing breath, and the only video they have EVER seen of the man is that one Catch in the '54 World Series. (Man, would I love more, much more, footage of Mays playing, be available.) To them he's naught but a page of stats and one clip; no matter how great (and his numbers demonstrate that easily), that's not a strong basis to plant him in nascent memories.

I'd take Mays over Mantle for a career, for defense, or for a ten-year, prime-of-career contract. I'd take Mantle for a three-year peak or a single season.

Answer 7

Other than Rogers Hornsby, Willie Mays was the best five tool man in baseball. I think he is a six tool guy myself if you add in his off-the-field personality.

Hornsby was mean, while Mays was all class.

I am a Clemente fan so other than that I think he may have been the best ever.

Answer 8

No idea. He was always my favourite. He had all the tools and unlike many his body didn't give out on him mid-career.

Answer 9

Babe Ruth

Answer 10

all he does is yell about oxi-clean, i've never tried that product, is it any good? oh yea and hercules hooks