Willie Mays: An incomparable career by the numbers

Baseball lost a giant Tuesday.

Willie Mays, who some regard as the best Major League Baseball player of all time, passed away at the age of 93. The “Say Hey Kid” was the quintessential five-tool talent, and no one appeared to extract more joy from showcasing it. 

In a career that spanned 23 seasons, few in history belong in the same paragraph as Mays. The longtime Giant (initially with New York and later San Francisco) tallied 24 All-Star appearances, 12 Gold Glove awards, 2 MVPs, a batting title, Rookie of the Year honors and, eventually, a ticket to Cooperstown.

So, how unique is his résumé? Here are some of the best numbers from his inimitable career: 

.300 + 300: It didn’t matter where Willie Mays hit, all he did was rake. He is one of just three players all time to have a .300 average and 300 homers both on the road and at home. He is the only player in MLB history to hit .300 for his career with 300 homers and 300 steals.

1: A singular player, Willie Mays topped 600 home runs, 300 steals, 20 All-Star selections and 10 Gold Gloves, while also recording a four-homer game and winning Rookie of the Year and multiple MVPs. In fact, no other player in MLB history can claim more than three of those seven accomplishments.

2: In a battle of the game’s brightest stars, Mays often brought his best. He was the first player to take home multiple All-Star MVP honors, winning the award in 1963 and 1968.

4: Mays is fourth all time in total bases with 6,080, and one of just four players to top 6,000 (Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols, Stan Musial). 

5: Mays posted five seasons with a .300 average, 25 homers and 20 steals. Only Barry Bonds (six) had more, while Mike Trout also has five such campaigns.

6: Mays has a strong case as baseball’s best all-around player ever, ranking in the top 10 in numerous major categories, including total bases (6,080, 4th), home runs (660, 6th), extra-base hits (1,326, 6th), runs scored (2,068, 7th), runs created (2,370, 7th), Gold Glove awards (12, 7th), games played (3,005, 9th) and bWAR (156.2, 5th).

7: Mays won just two MVPs in his career, but no player was nearly as valuable in his era. He led the majors in bWAR seven times, including five straight seasons (1962-66). He led the NL in bWAR 10 times. 

8: Despite missing all of 1953 due to his military service, Mays came back better than ever in 1954, as he became one of just eight players to hit .345 with 10 triples and 40 homers. He won his first MVP for his efforts while leading the Giants to a World Series sweep of Cleveland, immortalized by his over-the-shoulder catch in deep center at the Polo Grounds in Game 1.

10: Only three position players in MLB history have posted at least five seasons of 10 bWAR or higher: Babe Ruth (9), Rogers Hornsby (6) and Mays (6). 

11: Mays’ value was immeasurable for the most part, but when it comes to bWAR, he is one of just four outfielders to have multiple seasons of 11 bWAR or higher, along with Ruth, Bonds and Mickey Mantle. 

12: Mays won all 12 of his Gold Gloves in succession from 1957 to 1968. That streak is tied for the fourth-longest of any player, while his 12 overall are the most of any center fielder and tied for the most by an outfielder (Roberto Clemente).

15: Mays is one of just seven players to finish in the top 10 in bWAR in at least 15 seasons, joining Ruth (17), Cy Young (17), Aaron (16), Bonds (16), Ty Cobb (15) and Tris Speaker (15).

24: Mays earned 24 All-Star selections in his career, which is tied for the most with Aaron and Musial.

141: Among the 28 members of the 500 home run club, Mays’ 141 triples are the most. He’s one of just three players in that group to eclipse 100 triples (Ruth, Jimmie Foxx).

500-300: Possessing a rare blend of power and speed, Mays is one of just three players ever to compile 500 homers and 300 steals, along with Barry Bonds and Álex Rodríguez. All three slugged more than 600 homers.

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