San Francisco Giants Hat, used by Willie Mays

San Francisco Giants Hat, used by Willie Mays

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Description
“The Say Hey Kid” Willie Howard Mays Jr. (b.1931) began his career in the Negro Leagues (1947) before joining the Major League’s New York Giants in 1951. Excepting time in military service (1952-1953,) the exuberant center fielder became a mainstay of the Giants, who relocated to San Francisco in 1958. In 1973 Mays signed with the New York Mets, where he would play his final two seasons.
Mays started his Major League career by winning the 1951 National League Rookie of the Year Award. A two time National League Most Valuable Player (1954, 1965) Mays led the Giants to victory in the 1954 World Series, where in game one, he famously caught a ball, hit by Cleveland Indian Vic Wertz, over his shoulder. Now simply referred to in baseball lore as “The Catch,” the play is the best remembered of the many defensive efforts that earned the speedy outfielder 12 gold gloves to go along with his 24 All Star Game recognitions.
Mays finished his career with.302 batting average, 3,283 hits, 660 home runs, 1,903 runs batted in, and 338 stolen bases. One of the greatest all-around players the sport has ever seen, Mays was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979. In 2015 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
baseball hat
cap, baseball
baseball cap
hat
hat, baseball
date made
1970-1972
user
Mays, Willie
place made
United States: Massachusetts, Boston
Associated Place
United States: California, San Francisco
Physical Description
wool (overall material)
leather (interior band material)
Measurements
overall: 5 in x 8 in x 10 in; 12.7 cm x 20.32 cm x 25.4 cm
ID Number
2017.0084.13
accession number
2017.0084
catalog number
2017.0084.13
Credit Line
Thomas Tull
subject
Baseball
Professional
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
Sports & Leisure
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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