In 1951, at the Polo Grounds in New York City, Willie Mays got his first hit. But it was no ordinary hit. Willie launched a home run off Warren Spahn. He would launch 659 more before unlacing his shoes for the final time. The rookie hit over .300 in April of his first season, which drew everyone’s attention. Extremely rare for a rookie at the time, pitchers took note. Not even Mickey Mantle did it. Mays helped the Giants make a late-season run at the Dodgers, leading them to the World Series in his first year. No wonder he captured Rookie of the Year honors. Although the Giants understandably fell short against Mantle and Joe DiMaggio, Mays had arrived and pieced together a career for the ages. This iconic rookie card marks his arrival.
On August 17, 1966, Willie Mays walked to the plate and hit a home run. It moved him into second place on the all-time home run list behind Babe Ruth—an accomplishment he probably could have never imagined when he played for a Negro leagues team in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1948. In 1973, now with the Mets, he hit the 660th and final home run of his magical career. If he did not miss an entire season in the prime of his career to serve in the military, his career home run total would have been even more staggering.
This VG EX+ SGC 4.5 example presents fabulous aesthetic attributes that helped it earn Fanatics Collect–A Eye Appeal designation.
Learn more about the Say Hey Kid's cardboard career in our Guide to Willie Mays' Baseball Cards: https://www.fanaticscollect.com/definitive-guides/a-guide-to-willie-mays-baseball-cards
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 12/03/2025.
