Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Mays, perhaps the greatest player in baseball's history, died on Tuesday afternoon at the age of 93. Ahead of Wednesday's slate of action, Major League Baseball announced that each game will be preceded by a moment of silence to honor Mays' life and career.
There will be a moment of silence in memory of the great Willie Mays before each game today. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ukmcYAkqNR
— MLB (@MLB) June 19, 2024
The observation of a moment of silence before games is a fairly common exercise whenever a notable player or personnel member passes away. Oftentimes, though, said moment of silence is reserved for players or personnel who had direct ties to the host team. For Mays to receive the treatment league-wide is fitting, and speaks to the impact he had on the game.
Mays is, of course, best known for his time with the San Francisco Giants franchise. (He originally joined the club when they were located in New York.) The Giants are on the road today, playing in Chicago against the Cubs. Still, the team's uniforms will include patches featuring Mays' name and signature No. 24. Here's a look at those:
In honor of Willie pic.twitter.com/WuCEjhVyVV
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 19, 2024
The Mets, with whom Mays ended his playing career, are also on the road against the Rangers.
One can only assume the Giants, and likely the rest of MLB, will continue to honor Mays over the coming days and weeks.
