Object Details
- Artist
- Leigh Wiener, 1929 - 14 May 1993
- Sitter
- William Howard Mays, 6 May 1931 - 18 Jun 2024
- Exhibition Label
- Born Westfield, Alabama
- When awarding Willie Mays the 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom, Barack Obama noted, “We have never seen an all-around, five-tool player quite like Willie before—and we haven’t seen one since.” Mays, who excelled in all five aspects of baseball (hitting for average, hitting for power, fielding, throwing, and baserunning), began his career with the Negro American League’s Birmingham Black Barons. In 1950, the New York Giants purchased his contract, and he went on to spend most of his career with the team—first in New York and then in San Francisco. He retired in 1973, playing for the New York Mets. As a 24-time All-Star and two-time National League MVP, Mays hit 660 home runs and recorded a career batting average of .301.
- In 1964, Mays became the first African American to captain a major league team. This photograph was taken that year, when the San Francisco Giants were playing the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Nacido en Westfield, Alabama
- Al otorgar a Willie Mays la Medalla Presidencial de la Libertad en 2015, Barack Obama afirmó: “Nunca antes habíamos visto un jugador como Willie, tan completo en todos los aspectos, y aún no hemos visto otro”. Excelente en las cinco “herramientas” del béisbol (promedio de bateo, potencia, defensa, brazo y velocidad), Mays comenzó con los Black Barons de Birmingham en la Liga Negra Americana. En 1950, los Giants de Nueva York compraron su contrato y con ese equipo pasó gran parte de su carrera, primero en Nueva York y luego en San Francisco. En 1973, cuando se retiró, jugaba para los Mets de Nueva York. Jugador Estrella 24 veces y dos veces Jugador Más Valioso de la Liga Nacional, Mays bateó 660 jonrones con un promedio de .301 en su carrera.
- En 1964, Mays pasó a ser el primer afroamericano que capitaneó un equipo de grandes ligas. Esta foto se tomó ese año, cuando los Giants de San Francisco jugaron contra los Dodgers de Los Ángeles.
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
- 1964
- Object number
- NPG.91.60
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Copyright
- © The Estate of Leigh Wiener
- Type
- Photograph
- Medium
- Gelatin silver print
- Dimensions
- Image/Sheet: 34.3cm x 26.3cm (13 1/2" x 10 3/8")
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- Location
- Currently not on view
- National Portrait Gallery
- Topic
- Costume\Headgear\Hat\Cap
- Exterior\Sports arena\Baseball stadium
- William Howard Mays: Male
- William Howard Mays: Sports\Athlete\Baseball
- William Howard Mays: Sports\Coach\Baseball
- William Howard Mays: Military and Intelligence\Army
- William Howard Mays: Civilian awards\Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Portrait
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.91.60
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4fce500b6-a708-4ffd-8b40-b529c7b01d9e
