LA’s ‘Say Hey’ tributes to Willie Mays
by Mark Langill
Monday’s pregame celebration of Willie Mays at Dodger Stadium is the latest chapter in a half-century tradition of the Dodgers honoring their longtime bicoastal rival with the New York and San Francisco Giants.
Mays, who passed away on June 18 at age 93, compiled a lifetime .309 average in 383 games against the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1951 to 1973. Of his 660 home runs. Mays hit 98 against the Dodgers, including 13 off Dodger Hall of Famer Don Drysdale.
On May 25, 1971, the Dodgers marked the 20th anniversary of Mays’ Major League debut when the outfielder went 0-for-5 in his debut against the Philadelphia Phillies at Shibe Park on May 25, 1951.
The Dodgers honored Mays with 20 cakes to commemorate each year, along with an extra cake from the Biltmore Hotel. In addition to the sweets for Mays and his teammates, the Dodgers presented him with anniversary gifts, which he turned over to juvenile organizations in the Los Angeles area.
During the series, Mays tied Stan Musial’s lifetime record of runs scored (1,949). Had he scored №. 1,950, the Dodgers planned to give him home plate. Dodger right-hander Don Sutton, also a future Hall of Famer, held Mays hitless in four at-bats in the series finale.
Mays, described by broadcaster Vin Scully as “the best ballplayer I ever saw,” didn’t mind helping out the Dodgers when they celebrated their own milestones.
Mays represented the Giants organization on the field when the Dodgers staged Don Drysdale Day on Sept. 28, 1969, six weeks after Drysdale announced his retirement due to arm problems.
When it was his turn to present a gift, Mays walked to the microphone carrying a large box that at first glance might contain a bouquet of flowers.
“Don, this is a day I never thought I would see,” Mays said. “And baseball fans hate to see a great star go out. The way you look Don, you look like you might be able to come back tomorrow. On behalf of the ballclub, we wanted to give you something that would make you feel right at home.”
Drysdale, wearing a suit and tie, started to laugh when he saw Mays open the box. Inside were a pair of small containers of products that might be found inside the locker of any pitcher suspected of adding an extra substance to a baseball.
“We have a bottle of Vitalis for your hair,” Mays continued. “And we also have a bottle of Vaseline for the wrist. Good luck, Don, very much.”
When the Dodgers retired Hall of Fame outfielder Duke Snider’s uniform №4 on Oldtimers Day in 1980, various guests and former players were introduced and took their place along the first and third base lines. For the grand finale, the outfield fence slightly opened and the three prominent center fielders of New York baseball lore emerged. Mays, wearing a Mets uniform, and Joe DiMaggio (Yankees) flanked Snider as the trio walked toward home plate to a thunderous ovation.
LA’s ‘Say Hey’ Celebration was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.