Person in history
Willie Mays
Willie Mays, American baseball player (born 1931)
Life at a glance
- Died
- 2024 · June 18
Their story
Who they were
Willie Howard Mays Jr., nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid", was an American professional baseball center fielder who played 23 major league seasons. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Mays was a five-tool player who began his career in the Negro leagues, playing for the Birmingham Black Barons, and spent the rest of his career in the National League (NL), playing for the New York / San Francisco Giants and New York Mets.
Early life
Early life Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born on May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama , a primarily black company town near Fairfield . [ 1 ] His father, Cat Mays, was a talented baseball player with the black team at the local iron plant. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Annie Satterwhite, his mother, was a gifted high school basketball and track star. [ 4 ] To his family and close friends, and later to his teammates, Mays was affectionately referred to as "Buck". [ 5 ]
Why this date
Willie Mays appears on our June 18 calendar for 2024 as a death entry.
Sources
Cite this page
“Willie Mays”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/people/willie-mays, accessed October 28, 2026.
Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.
Questions about Willie Mays
When did Willie Mays die?
June 18 2024.
Who else was born on this day?
The date page lists everyone we hold for that calendar day.
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