The most amazing part of this play is that Mays appears to slow down before catching the ball. This means he outran it! Amazing play. Cleveland never recovered and lost the World Series in four straight games.
Can you imagine the money he could have made compared to the white players back then? Now can you imagine how much he could have made today? What a class act!
All ballplayers in the 1950s were underpaid. Mays made very good money in the 1960s. I think he was paid between $75,000 and $100,000 per season in his heyday. The average big league salary was under $20,000. That's pocket change today.
That's our Lava! I didn't know that, I'm glad he got paid well for the times.
It is interesting, I love to watch football (American) much more than baseball, so do most Americans, but we certainly have a love affair with baseball!
If there's no baseball in heaven I don't want to go! (Would you believe I listened to this game in its entirety about two months ago?)
Here's a Willie Mays trivia tidbit to amaze your friends: He is the only major leaguer to hit four home runs in one game and hit three triples in another game.
I'm glad you enjoyed the post. For me, was the best ever. Then I'd have to go with Roberto Clemente. I'm just curious that Lava said he saw the whole game where Mays made that catch. I d love to see that game also Lava. Where can I find that game? Thanks again.
Actually I wrote that I listened to the whole game recently. MLB.com has a selection of radio broadcasts of classic games. Game One of the 1954 World Series is one of them.
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