>> IT WOULD BECOME ONE OF BASEBALL'S MOST LEGENDARY
MOMENTS GAME ONE OF THE 1954 WORLD SERIES
IN OVER THE SHOULDER CATCH THAT WOULD BE IMMORTALIZED IN
BASEBALL HISTORY OVER HIS 23 SEASON DOWN THE DIET. WILLIE
MAYS, THE SAY HEY, KID WENT FROM ONE OF THE GAME'S STAR
PLAYERS TO ONE OF ITS LEGENDS. 660 HOME RUNS MORE THAN 3,000
HITS. 24 ALL-STAR APPEARANCES, 12 STRAIGHT GOLDEN GLOVE
AWARDS. IN A WORLD SERIES RING HALL OF FAME. GIANTS
BROADCASTER JOHN MILLER SAYS THERE'S A LITTLE ARGUE ABOUT AT
HIS PEAK. YOU CAN MAKE A VERY STRONG CASE THAT WILLIE MAYS
WAS THE BEST PLAYER THERE EVER WAS GROWING UP IN SEGREGATED
ALABAMA WITH 2 ATHLETE PARENTS. HE WAS A NATURAL TALENT REALLY
ON SIGNED BY. THE N**** LEAGUE TEAM WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL
DESPITE HIS ACCOLADES ON THE FIELD LIFE FOR A BLACK FAMILY
IN THE DEEP SOUTH, IT WAS HARD.
>> I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE THINGS THAT HE SAW AND DURANT.
THEY HAD THE JIM CROW LAWS AND THEY HAD THE KU KLUX K***.
>> LEADING THE BIRMINGHAM BLACK BARONS, 2 WORLD SERIES BEFORE
GETTING SIGNED TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES. BUT THE NEW YORK
GIANTS, HE STARTED STRONG WINNING ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
BEFORE BEING DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY. WHEN MAYS RETURN TO THE
GAME, HE LED THE GIANTS TO A WORLD SERIES VICTORY WITH THE
CATCH.
THE GIANTS MOVED TO SAN FRANCISCO WHERE HE FACED RACIAL
PREJUDICE. MAZEN. HIS WIFE WERE TOLD THEY COULDN'T BUY PROPERTY
IN THE CITY. COMMON PRACTICE TO KEEP BLACK FAMILIES OUT.
MAY'S STAY FOCUSED ON THE GATE.
>> 52 SCURRY ARE BACK IN NEW YORK WITH THE METS LAST GAME IN
1973.
>> MAYS NEVER LEFT BASEBALL SERVING AS A PART-TIME COACH
MANAGER AND AN ALL AROUND IN BASSETT TO THE GAME. WILLIE'S
HOUR MAYES JUNIOR IN 2015 HE WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL
MEDAL OF FREEDOM. CAPPING INCREDIBLE CAREER LIFE AND
LEGACY. A CHAMPION ON THE FIELD AND ICON OFF IT. WHAT I'VE DONE
IT.
I LOVE EVERY MOMENT.
STEVE PATTERSON, NBC NEWS