Willie Mays was one of America’s first Black sports superstars whose career paved the way for a new generation of Black players in baseball. On Thursday, Nov. 10 at 12:00 p.m.
Nelson George joins Washington Post Live on Thursday, Nov. 10. The Washington Post is providing this news free to all readers as a public service.Willie Mays was one of America’s first Black sports superstars whose career paved the way for a new generation of Black players in baseball. Join Washington Post sports columnist Jerry Brewer for a conversation with filmmaker Nelson George about his new documentary exploring the life and legacy of the Major League Baseball Hall of Famer.
“He’s an equivalent figure to Sammy Davis Jr. or Sidney Poitier. He’s a star, not just a player, but he’s a star who people like, they’re attracted to and he had a kind of light around him. So, when he played the game, he’s someone that people stopped to watch … In almost every sport that Black people move into in significant numbers they bring an attitude, they bring a spirit, they bring a style that wasn’t there before.
“I think one of the things to understand about Jackie and Willie… When Jackie came to the majors, he’s already been in the Army, he’s been to UCLA. He’s a very worldly, sophisticated guy… Willie was 20 years old when he got to New York, just a year out of high school in Alabama. So, he never felt totally comfortable as a spokesperson. He always felt like Jackie or Dr. King were more qualified to lead that discussion. So, part of it was a little bit of self-consciousness.
“There’s like a 10-year span where he missed maybe only 21 games… This was the way it was in that era; you played every day. There were very few off days for players… And he just believed that the team had the best chance of winning when he was there. He played himself into exhaustion at least three times in his career and he collapsed and was put in a hospital. It's both a reflection of his dedication to the game and to the Giants. But also, a reflection of the values of the time.
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