The renowned center fielder’s death was confirmed by his son, Michael Mays, on Tuesday night in a statement issued by the San Francisco Giants.
“From the bottom of my broken heart, I want to thank you all for your unflinching love for him over the years. His lifeblood has been you.”
Greg Johnson, chairman of the Giants, added, “He had a deep influence on the fabric of America as well as the game of baseball.
He was a hero and an inspiration who will always be greatly missed.”
Mays, who was born in 1931 and made his professional debut in 1948, was a 24-time All-Star who played for the Giants for parts of 21 seasons, both in New York and San Francisco.
He finished his career with a batting average of.301, 3,293 hits, 660 home runs, 2,068 runs scored, and 12 Gold Gloves.
Almost 95% of votes cast went to Mays, who was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his first year of eligibility.
“The Catch”
Vic Wertz of the Cleveland Indians hit a ball to the center fielder during game one of the 1954 World Series, making it his most famous moment.
