‘Say Hey, History Books,’ the Late Willie Mays Transcends Our Time and Goes to the Ages
Mays, 93, made one of the greatest catches in history but became a role model for the way he was respected by — and treated — others.

For young African-Americans growing up in the 1960s and 1970s role models who weren’t family were usually athletes. Willie Mays was at the top of that list, not so much for how he played baseball, but for how he was respected and treated by others. People of all races looked past his skin color, cheered his exploits, and listened to what he had to say even though he had a soft voice.
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