– June 18, 2024
Willie Mays passed away today.
The “Say Hey” Kid was 93 but really was
A life-long youth, always in my mind the buoyant
Spirit trying eagerly to please and to succeed. He was
Thoroughly New York in attitude. His Giants dragged his
Body to that windy Bay but he never really left the boroughs,
Starting off in Manhattan and finishing in Queens, beginning
In the Polo Grounds (as did the Mets) and later bringing his
Hall of Fame career and all five tools to Shea Stadium
(As did the Mets). Let some other poet sing his great statistics.
Let some believer in metaphysics note that his famous 24 is
Psychically connected to Jackie’s 42. I hurt too much to waste
Your time. Now he is gone but he will always be around, much
As a treasured friend or precious relative. If baseball were to
Come to life and whisper to us fans sweet words of love,
The voice we’d hear would clearly be the eager joy of Willie Mays.
He will be missed but will live on in each true fan’s best memories.