Mets celebrate Willie Mays as his son Michael throws out first pitch
Michael Mays, son of the late Willie Mays, throws the ceremonial first pitch before the Yankees-Mets game on Wednesday night, June 26, 2024. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Michael Mays, the son of Willie Mays, threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Yankees-Mets on Wednesday, adding an extra New York flair to the Subway Series finale.
A brief pregame ceremony featured Michael Mays, Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen, former Mets standout Cleon Jones and others on the field in Mets No. 24 Mays jerseys. Manager Carlos Mendoza caught the toss from Michael Mays.
Willie Mays, who died last week at 93, widely regarded as one of the absolute best baseball players in the history of the sport, began and ended his career in New York City: 1951-57 with the New York Giants, then 1972-73 with the Mets.
“Dad always says, a lot of people can play baseball. Turn the lights on and see what happens,” Michael Mays said. “The lights he’s talking about are the ones shining brightest here (in New York). That’s where he was first under the light . . . New York is where he became Willie Mays. You know what I mean? The boy becomes the man in the big city.”
That last chapter was framed at a homecoming at the time by then-owner Joan Payson, who promised to retire Mays’ jersey number. The Cohens fulfilled that long-ago promise in 2022.
“Very tough to leave San Francisco,” Michael Mays recalled of his dad’s experience. “Understand that as a franchise player, that didn’t make sense to those guys. What’s happening? So to have Ms. Payson step in and make the promise and secure him, that was how it was understood: You’re coming home.”
What ensued was a special season and a half for father and son, especially since the latter — a teenager — had already been working for the team as a batboy.
“That was a cool time, because I was here too,” Michael Mays said. “In my own little way, I got to be on the field with him.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.