September 25, 1973: Willie Mays Night

September 25, 1973: Willie Mays Night is held at Shea Stadium. Mays had announced his retirement, although he would play in the postseason.

Starting with the New York Giants in 1951, Mays had become one of the most beloved players in baseball history. The Giants' move to San Francisco after the 1957 season did not diminish the esteem in which New Yorkers held him. When the Giants would come to play the Mets starting in 1962, first at the Polo Grounds, and from 1964 onward at Shea, there would always be a big crowd to cheer him. And when the Mets traded for him early in the 1972 season, it was a joyful occasion.

But in 1973, he was 42. A career that saw him collect 3,283 hits, including 660 home runs, and win 12 Gold Gloves (and he would have won more, but they only started in 1957), was clearly coming to an end. And he didn't get along with Met manager Yogi Berra, himself a legend from a different New York baseball team (the Yankees).

And so, on September 20, Mays announced his retirement on NBC's The Today Show, and later held a press conference at Shea, where he said, "When you’re 42 and hitting .211, it’s no fun. I just feel that the people of America shouldn’t have to see a guy play who can’t produce."

The Night was set up. Why they did it on a Tuesday night instead of a weekend afternoon, who knows. It's the Mets: Even in a season when they won the Pennant, the organization wasn't all that smart.

When he was introduced, the crowd applauded him for 6 minutes, as the scoreboard lit up with "SO LONG, YES; GOODBYE, NEVER.:

Mays was presented with numerous gifts. Golf clubs, his-and-hers snowmobiles, lifetime supplies of records, scotch, and champagne, two trips, and enough clothing for him and his wife, Mae, to fill up several closets.

Giants owner Horace Stoneham gave him a Mercedes-Benz. Former Giant teammates Bobby Thomson and Dusty Rhodes came. So did former Brooklyn Dodger rivals Pee Wee Reese and Duke Snider. So did Larry Doby and Joe Black, who had barnstormed with Mays early in his career, were there. So were earlier stars Joe DiMaggio and Stan Musial.

"This is a very sad night for me," Mays said. "I may not look it, but in my heart, I’m sad, because I hear you cheering for me, and I am unable to do anything for you. I look at the kids over here, and they are playing, and they are fighting for themselves. Tells me one thing: 'Willie, say good-bye to America.'"

And there was a game, and the Mets beat the Montreal Expos, 2-1. Jerry Koosman outpitched Steve Rogers, and Cleon Jones hit a home run.

Mays would play in the postseason, but looked every bit his 42 years. A shoulder injury to Rusty Staub prompted the Mets to shift Don Hahn to right field, and start Mays in center at the start of the World Series. He stumbled 4 times in the 1st 2 games, including a fielding error in Game 2 that allowed the Oakland Athletics to tie the game and force extra innings. Mays' last hit came later in the same game, an RBI single against Rollie Fingers that snapped a 7–7 tie in the 12th inning of a 10–7 victory.

His final at-bat came in Game 3, on October 16, 1973, where he pinch-hit for Tug McGraw. Batting against Paul Lindblad, he grounded into a force play, shortstop Bert Campaneris to 2nd baseman Dick Green. The Mets lost the Series in 7 games.

Mets team owner Joan Payson said that no Met would ever again wear Mays' Number 24. Previously, it had been given to Bob Miller in 1962, Jerry Hinsley in 1964, Johnny Lewis in 1965, Ed Charles (who switched to 5) and then Ken Boswell (who switched to 12) in 1967, Art Shamsky in 1968, and Jim Beauchamp earlier in 1972.

But in 1990, Mets equipment manager Charlie Samuels made the mistake of giving 24 to Kelvin Torve, a weak-hitting call-up at 1st base. It was bad enough that he was trying to replace the beloved Keith Hernandez, but trying it while wearing Willie Mays' number got him mercilessly booed, through no fault of his own. After a few days, Samuels gave Torve Number 39, but he didn't last.

In 1999, the Mets acquired Rickey Henderson, who had worn 24 for most of his career. He wanted it again. Despite a strong season, he was never popular among his Met teammates and fans, and was released early in 2000. The number remained unworn again until Robinson Canó arrived in 2019, and wore it through 2022.

Finally, on August 27, 2022, at an Old-Timers Day celebrating the Mets' 60th Anniversary, the Mets finally gave Number 24 an official retirement ceremony. Michael Mays read a statement from his ailing father. (UPDATE: Willie Mays died on June 18, 2024. He was 93 years old.)

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September 25, 1973, as I said, was a Tuesday. These other Major League Baseball games were played:

* The New York Yankees lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-2 at Milwaukee County Stadium. Pedro García singled Wilbur Howard home with the winning run off Lindy McDaniel in the bottom of the 13th inning. McDaniel had pitched 4 1/3rd innings, in relief of Fritz Peterson. Ron Blomberg and Mike Hegan each got 3 hits.

In the off-season, the Yankees traded McDaniel to the Kansas City Royals for Lou Piniella, a trade that worked out very well for both teams. Early the next season, they traded Peterson and 3 other pitchers to the Cleveland Indians for Chris Chambliss, Dick Tidrow and Cecil Upshaw, a trade that worked out very well only for the Yankees.

* The Baltimore Orioles beat the Detroit Tigers, 8-3 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Brooks Robinson, then 36 years old, went 1-for-2 with a walk before being removed. Al Kaline, then 38, dod not play.

* The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves, 5-1 at Atlanta Stadium (later Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium). Don Sutton outpitched Phil Niekro. Hank Aaron went 0-for-4, and remained at 712 career home runs. He had surpassed Mays for 2nd on the all-time list the season before, and, 3 years younger, was still a major power hitter. He needed 2 more to catch Babe Ruth.

* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-1 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. It was "Win Day," as Steve Carlton was pitching, and he outpitched Jim Rooker. The Phils' runs came on solo home runs by Mike Anderson and future Pirate Bill Robinson. Rookie Mike Schmidt went 0-for-4. Willie Stargell went 1-for-4.

* The Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 3-2 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Carl Yastrzemski went 1-for-3 with a walk.

* The Cincinnati Reds beat the San Diego Padres, 3-2 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Pete Rose went 2-for-4. Johnny Bench did not play. Nor did Padre rookie Dave Winfield.

* The Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-2 at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

* The Chicago Cubs beat their arch-rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3 at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Fergie Jenkins outpitched Alan Foster. Ted Simmons hit a home run, and Lou Brock went 1-for-4.

* The Houston Astros beat the San Francisco Giants, 5-1 at the Astrodome in Houston.

* The Texas Rangers beat the California Angels, 4-1 at Anaheim Stadium (now Angel Stadium of Anaheim).

* And the Minnesota Twins beat the Oakland Athletics, 9-4 at the Oakland Coliseum. Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva and Mike Adams hit home runs. Rod Carew went 3-for-5. For the A's, Gene Tenace and Sal Bando hit home runs. Reggie Jackson went 0-for-3 with a walk.