Having earned his famous nickname for his enthusiasm as a young player coming up through the then-New York Giants system, Willie Mays moved to San Francisco with the Giants in 1958 and continued his rise to stardom. While Mays had power — his 660 career home runs place him fourth on the all-time list — he was also known for his defense, winning 12 Gold Gloves for his play in center field.

Willie Mays’ most famous moment came in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, when New York pitcher Don Liddle entered the game to face Vic Wertz of the Cleveland Indians, with runners on first and second. Wertz hit the ball into center field at the old Polo Grounds. Mays turned and chased after it. He stretched out his glove just in time to make the grab 460 feet away from home plate, taking away what would have been a home run in any other stadium. From then on, Willie Mays was called, “The Catch”. After Mays retired, he told reporters, “My most famous catch was the one off Vic Wertz in the 1954 World Series, but I made a lot of catches like that.”

- John A. Roberts

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Tags | 1954 World Series, Baseball, Don Liddle, MLB, Vic Wertz, Willie Mays