San Francisco Giants legend Willie Mays gets the HBO documentary treatment in the upcoming Say Hey, Willie Mays, exploring the slugger’s astonishing 25 years playing pro baseball, and his legacy off the field afterward.
We’ve all seen that Willie Mays statue outside the Giants’ ballpark. And ask any Giants fan about Mays’s career, they’ll tell you about his celebrated 1954 World Series play known as “The Catch,” an over-the-shoulder catch and improbable cannon throw that allowed the Giants to win the title over the then-Cleveland Indians. But that team was actually the New York Giants, they moved to San Francisco in 1958, and did not win another World Series until 2010.
But that takes nothing away from Willie Mays’s legacy, which covered 25 years playing pro baseball (starting in the Negro Leagues), earned him a still-record 24 trips to the MLB All-Star game, saw him lead the National League in both home runs and stolen bases four times, and of course, got his No. 24 jersey retired and earned him that statue out in front of the ballpark.
That legacy on and off the field is explored in the upcoming HBO documentary Say Hey, Willie Mays, which premieres on HBO Max November 8. The film has its world premiere tonight at New York City’s UrbanWorld Film Festival, but the Chronicle reports that the Say Hey, Willie Mays trailer was released Wednesday, and is seen above.
“Over the years, the fans have given me so much joy, and I am excited to express my thanks again through this wonderful documentary and its telling of the story of my career and life,” Mays said in a statement. “I have worked hard and been fortunate to do many amazing things over the course of my life, and I am excited and proud that the people who see this film, including younger fans who never saw me play, will have the chance to relive this great journey with me and have a few laughs along the way. Watching this documentary brought a proud and grateful smile to my face, and I hope everyone else enjoys it too.”
Mays, now 91, is interviewed in the film. The film also interviews Jon Miller, Reggie Jackson, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, Bob Costas, former SF mayor Willie Brown, and the late Vin Scully. It premieres on HBO on Tuesday, November 8 at 9 p.m. PT on HBO, and simultaneously starts streaming then on HBO Max.
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Image: Oracle Park via Facebook