Willie Mays's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Willie Mays.
Willie Mays, "the Say Hey Kid," was a legendary MLB center fielder over 23 seasons. He began in the Negro leagues before joining the New York/San Francisco Giants and New York Mets in the National League. Considered one of baseball's greatest, Mays was a five-tool player renowned for his all-around excellence.
1911: Frank Schulte 20-20-20
In 1911, after Frank Schulte was a member to steal at least 20 bases.
1930: Bill Terry's Batting Title
In 1930, Bill Terry won the team's first batting title since then.
1945: Comparison to post-1945 players
In 1945, Mays's 140 triples ranked fourth among players active after 1945.
1951: Rookie of the Year Award
In 1951, Willie Mays won the National League Rookie of the Year Award after an impressive season with the New York Giants.
1954: Increased Base Stealing
In 1954, Willie Mays increased his base stealing total, showcasing his growing versatility as a player.
1954: "The Catch" and World Series Win
In 1954, Willie Mays made "The Catch" during Game 1 of the World Series, helping the Giants sweep the Cleveland Indians to win the championship.
1954: NL MVP Award and World Series Title
In 1954, Willie Mays won the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and led the Giants to a World Series title.
1954: MVP Award and Batting Title
In 1954, Willie Mays won the NL Most Valuable Player Award and the batting title, capping off a stellar season.
1954: Mays's New York Giants Win World Series
Willie Mays was the last surviving member of the 1954 World Champion New York Giants.
1955: 51 Home Runs
In 1955, Willie Mays led the league with 51 home runs, though he finished fourth in NL MVP voting.
1956: Joins the 30-30 Club
In 1956, Willie Mays joined the 30–30 club, hitting 36 home runs and stealing a career-high 40 bases.
1957: Joins 20-20-20 club
In 1957, Mays became the fourth player in major league history to join the 20–20–20 club (doubles, triples, homers).
1957: Mays Leads All-Stars to Success in 1957
In 1957, Willie Mays led his All-Stars in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, drawing large crowds and winning most of their games.
1957: Mays wins First Gold Glove
In 1957, Willie Mays won the first Gold Glove award, recognizing his defensive play as a Center Fielder.
1957: First Gold Glove Award
In 1957, Willie Mays won the first of 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards, recognizing his exceptional defensive skills in center field.
April 30, 1961: Mays hits four home runs in a game
On April 30, 1961, Willie Mays hit four home runs and drove in eight runs against the Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium.
1961: Mays Scores Winning Run in the 1961 All-Star Game
Willie Mays scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning of the first All-Star Game of 1961, contributing to a 5-4 victory for the National League.
1962: Mays leads Giants, advances to World Series
In 1962, Willie Mays led the Giants in eight offensive categories. On September 30, Mays hit a game-winning home run to force a tie for first place. He then caught the final out in the playoff series, advancing the Giants to the World Series.
1962: Booing quiets down, Giants enjoy best season
In 1962, the booing of Willie Mays grew quieter as the Giants enjoyed their best season since moving to San Francisco.
1963: Mays hits 16th-inning home run, wins Player of the Month, hits 400th home run
In 1963, Willie Mays hit a 16th-inning home run off Warren Spahn. In August 1963, he won his third NL Player of the Month Award. On August 27, 1963, he hit his 400th home run against the St. Louis Cardinals.
August 1965: Mays wins Player of the Month award
In August 1965, Willie Mays won his fourth and final NL Player of the Month award.
1965: Second MVP Award
In 1965, Willie Mays won his second NL Most Valuable Player Award while playing for the San Francisco Giants.
1965: Mays Sets All-Star Hit Record in 1965
With a leadoff home run against Milt Pappas in the 1965 All-Star Game, Willie Mays set a record for the most hits in his All-Star Games, totaling 21.
April 24, 1966: Mays ties Mel Ott's home run record
On April 24, 1966, Willie Mays tied Mel Ott's NL record of 511 home runs against the Astros.
1968: Mays Wins MVP at the 1968 All-Star Game
Willie Mays won the All-Star Game MVP Award for the second time in 1968 due to his contributions during the game.
January 1970: Mays named Player of the Decade
In January 1970, The Sporting News named Willie Mays the 1960s "Player of the Decade".
1971: Mays's Performance and Team Success in 1971
In 1971, Willie Mays, while primarily playing center field, also played 48 games at first base. He had a strong start to the year, including a notable game on May 31 against the Mets where he hit a game-tying home run and made key defensive plays. He finished the season with a .271 batting average, 18 home runs, and 61 RBI, leading the league in on-base percentage. The Giants won the NL West that year, marking Mays's return to the playoffs since 1962.
1971: Mays in the 1971 NL Championship Series and Clemente Award
In the 1971 NL Championship Series against the Pirates, Willie Mays contributed with a home run and three RBIs in the first two games. After the season, Mays was honored with the inaugural Roberto Clemente Award. The Giants would ultimately lose the series.
May 1972: Giants Retired Mays's Number
In May 1972, the Giants retired Willie Mays's number 24.
1972: Mays's Debut with the Mets in 1972
In 1972, Willie Mays debuted with the New York Mets, hitting a home run in his first game against the Giants on May 14 and receiving a warm welcome from the fans. He played 69 games for the Mets that season, batting .267 with eight home runs and 19 RBIs.
January 23, 1979: Mays Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame on January 23, 1979
On January 23, 1979, Willie Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, receiving 94.68% of the votes.
1979: Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
In 1979, Willie Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, solidifying his legacy as one of baseball's greats.
1979: Mays Elected to Hall of Fame
In 1979, Willie Mays was the only player elected to the Hall of Fame, with Duke Snider acknowledging that Mays deserved to be in by himself.
1999: Named to All-Century Team
In 1999, Willie Mays was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, recognizing him as one of the greatest players of the 20th century.
2008: Mays Inaugural Class for Wall of Fame
In 2008, Willie Mays became part of the inaugural class of the Giants' Wall of Fame.
2015: Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
In 2015, Willie Mays was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama, honoring his contributions to baseball and American culture.
September 2017: MLB Renames World Series MVP Award
In September 2017, Major League Baseball renamed the World Series MVP Award the Willie Mays World Series MVP Award.
2020: Mays Ranked #1 on "Baseball 100" List in 2020
In 2020, The Athletic ranked Willie Mays at number 1 on its "Baseball 100" list, compiled by sportswriter Joe Posnanski.
June 2021: Mays' Games Played Ranking
As of June 2021, Willie Mays's 2,992 games played is the ninth-highest total of any major leaguer.
August 27, 2022: Mets to Retire Mays's Number
On August 27, 2022, during the Mets' 60th anniversary Old-Timer's Game, the team announced that they would retire Willie Mays's number 24.
2022: Mays Voted Greatest Player in Giants History in 2022
In 2022, MLB.com writers voted Willie Mays as the greatest player in the history of the Giants franchise.
May 28, 2024: MLB Integrated Negro League Statistics
On May 28, 2024, Major League Baseball announced that it had integrated Negro league statistics into its records, enhancing the recognition of players like Willie Mays during his time with the Birmingham Black Barons.
December 2024: Mays's Ranking Among Baseball Leaders
As of December 2024, Willie Mays ranks sixth in home runs with 660, seventh in runs scored with 2,068, and 12th in runs batted in with 1,909.
December 2024: Mays' Career Statistics Ranking
As of December 2024, Willie Mays's career batting average stands at .301, and his 3,293 hits rank 12th-most of any player.
