Quote

I don't know what Joe (DiMaggio) wanted (in regards to being called 'the greatest living ballplayer'), but I don't have a problem, if he wanted to do that. He was my hero. Joe was the best all-around player. Joe was the best. I only played against him once, in the '51 Series.

Willie Mays

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Willie Mays
Age: 93
Born: 1931
Born: May 6
Baseball Player
Jefferson County
Alabama
Willie Howard Mays Jr.
Willie Howard Mays
The Say Hey Kid
Player
Greatest
Called
Ballplayer
Living
Regards
Around
Played
Problem
Series
Best
Regard
Wanted
Hero

More quotes by Willie Mays

Image
I played with the Birmingham Black Barons. I was making 500 at 14. That was a lot of money in those days.
Willie Mays
Image
When I was in Birmingham I used to go to a place called Redwood Field. I used to get there for a two o'clock game. Where can you make this kind of money playing sports? It was just a pleasure to go out and enjoy myself and get paid for it.
Willie Mays
Image
I remember the last season I played. I went home after a ballgame one day, lay down on my bed, and tears came to my eyes. How can you explain that? It's like crying for your mother after she's gone. You cry because you love her. I cried, I guess, because I loved baseball, and I knew I had to leave it.
Willie Mays
Image
I don't mean to be bashful, but I was
Willie Mays
Image
What's tough is being good every day.
Willie Mays
Image
I didn't teach you that. Catch the ball with your glove.
Willie Mays
Image
I don't compare 'em, I just catch 'em.
Willie Mays
Image
I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw.
Willie Mays
Image
If you can do that - if you run, hit, run the bases, hit with power, field, throw and do all other things that are part of the game - then you're a good ballplayer.
Willie Mays
Image
The greatest challenge I think is adjusting to not playing baseball. The reason for that is I had to come out of baseball and come into the business world, not being a college graduate, not being educated to come into the business world the way I should have.
Willie Mays
Image
Never assume the other guy will never do something you would never do.
Willie Mays
Image
I don't rate them, I just hit them.
Willie Mays
Image
Youngsters of Little League can survive undercoaching a lot better than overcoaching.
Willie Mays
Image
Defense to me is the key to playing baseball.
Willie Mays
Image
Baseball is a game, yes. It is also a business.
Willie Mays
Image
I'm a very lucky guy. I had so many people help me over the years that I never had many problems. If I had a problem, I could sit down with someone and they would explain the problem to me, and the problem become like a baseball game
Willie Mays
Image
When I got to professional ball I used to play 150 games every year. It depends on how many games there was.
Willie Mays
Image
Baseball is a game, yes. It is also a business. But what is most truly is is disguised combat. For all its gentility, its almost leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps.
Willie Mays
Image
I was very blessed with a good body. Never got hurt. Never was in the hospital. The only time I was in the hospital was when I would get exhausted a little bit, and go in for a check-up or something.
Willie Mays
Image
That's how easy baseball was for me. I'm not trying to brag or anything, but I had the knowledge before I became a professional baseball player to do all these things and know what each guy would hit.
Willie Mays