The “Say Hey” Kid

Out for a run along San Francisco’s Embarcadero, I rounded the AT&T Ballpark and came face-to-face with a statue of my very first boyhood sports idol: Willie Mays. If you are a Baby-Boomer or older, you may not require any explanation of Willie’s greatness. If you’re asking, “Who’s Willie Mays,” well, these three quotes (from three L.A. guys!) engraved on the base of the monument capture it pretty well:

– “He should play in handcuffs to even things out a bit.” – Jim Murray, L.A. Times sportswriter

– “Willie Mays and his glove: where triples go to die.” Frescoe Thompson, L.A. Dodger executive

– “Willie has two weaknesses – a pitch thrown behind his back and a fly ball 20 rows into the stands.” – Leo Durocher, Dodgers manager

Onward, Malcolm Gauld