I hope my five-star rating allows Mays to inch past Mickey Mantle, who couldn't hold a candle to Mays except perhaps in sheer speed and pure power. It's not potential that counts in baseball, but achievement, and Mays excelled in every part of the game, coasting along on sheer enthuasiasm where Mantle was a surly drunk. While fans reference the injuries that took Mantle off the field, they forget about Mays spending two years away for military service. The best all-around player ever.

I agree with utebuster and robbo59 assessments.Many players totals dwindle in the twighlight years and are unfair comparisons.His numbers and play on the field are the thing of legend.Being a top performer on the big stage is what seperates the great ones from star players.Just like his godson,a superstar but mediocre except for a few flashes of brilliance in the big series.

best all around next to ruth

this guy has to be the best of all time

All right now, mateys, this was the guy that they had in mind when they coined the phrase, "five-tool player." Mays could run like the wind, play centerfield better than anyone since DiMaggio, had a cannon for an arm, was a great average hitter, and, despite weighing about 170 pounds, hit more homeruns than any non-drug enhanced player, other than Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron. Each player is to be judged on his merits as a player, at the top of his game, and over a long period of time. Herb Score does not rate with the class of hall-of-famers due to the unfortunate circumstance of meeting a baseball eye-to-eye on the while on the way to certain fame. Roger Maris, does not rate eternal greatness because his run at immortality lasted for but three years of his 12 year career. Willie Mays, on the other hand, was a bonafied superstar and perhaps the greatest player in the game for the first fifteen years of his 22 seasons in the majors. Age got to Willie in 1967, at about 36, and he was never able to be the player that he had been inn all of the years leading up until that point. From his rookie year in 1951 thru 1966 (excluding 1952, when he was called up for a stint in the Army lasting two seasons, following 34 games played), Willie averaged 180 hits, 113 runs, 38 homeruns, 105 RBI, and hit .309. In addition to this, he won a batting title, (.345 the year after he returned from the Army in 1954, while also leading his team to the World Series) led the league in triples three times, homeruns four times, slugging percentage five times, and stolen bases four consecutive times from 1956 to 1959. Willie also picked up two MVP awards and won a dozen gold gloves. It seems only fair that we judge a player according to his prime lest we be fooled into thinking that his winter years afford us a true gauge. Willie Mays was the player by whom are were judged by for over a decade and a half and can not be faulted for not living up to that same criteria in his advancing years. Those who may rate this fine, fine player simply by looking to the bottom line of his career totals need to be apprised of that.

Mays could not have been "the greatest defensive player in the history of baseball" because the person with that title would almost certainly be a ShortStop, not a Center Fielder. I think Ozzie Smith is the most likely choice for that honor, although Rabbit Maranville is another good possibility. At another position, Bill, "don't slide into Number Nine," Mazeroski dominaed Second Base play the way no one has ever done at any other position. Mays is still one of the few candidates for "greatest player ever" and he did it without being the fastest or strongest player in the game.

No home runs in 20 world series games does not make Mays the greatest player ever. He was obviously very good but the ultimate prize is world championships and Mantle was more clutch when it counted.

Mays not only excelled in the fundamental areas of hitting, fielding, throwing, and baserunning, he transcended expectations by catching balls that others would play off the fence, advancing from first base to third or home on hits that would have convinced most players to remain at second. If Mays had not missed 270 games early in his career, he probably would have hit another 60 homeruns, for a total of 720, would have had nearly 3600 hits, and would have batted in more than 2050.

Had he stayed in New York or any other ballpark, his home run record would have surpassed Ruth's. I watched many fly balls blow back in at Candlestick Park.

Mays became perhaps the greatest all-around player in baseball history. In his 22 year career (including 21 with the New York/San Francisco Giants and 1 with the New York Mets), he clubbed 660 home runs, stole 338 bases and hit .300 10 times. Willie won 12 Gold Glove awards for his magic in center field, and played in 24 All-Star games.

best all arund baseball player ever. He could hit for average and power, and was a tremendous outfielder and base stealer.

Best in the business hands down

In my opinion, the greatest all around baseball player that ever walked onto the field. He probably would not be put on top of any single list, but he would be top three across the board. A true talent and class act that did it all without enhancement of any kind.

Perhaps just a tad overrated, not just in baseball, but in all sports. Firstly, his .302 average is very good, but doesn't exactly stick out among other HOFers. Secondly, numbers seem to matter the least in baseball out of all the 4 major North American sports since one guy can only do so much for his team. You're bound to find a lot of great players bogged down in otherwise poor franchises throughout his career, whereas in other sports you find otherwise average teams being in the playoffs time and again thanks to one or two guys and the supporting cast. John Elway and Michael Jordan are prime examples, although it can be argued that each of them meant more to his particular sport than Mays was for baseball, since he had a lot more competition. But that's not to take anything away from the Say Hey Kid, he was incredibly special in his own right. He played the bulk of his career during the Civil Rights Movement, when African American players were just beginning to trickle into the North American sports scene. He was at the very least respected in New York when he started playing with the Giants, but when the franchise moved to the Bay Area in the late 1950s he faced a much tougher audience. Fortunately he won over San Franciso and was one of the first professional sports stars in the state of California. Also, due to military service toward the beginning of his career, he missed an opportunity to surpass the Babe in the HR category. His career BA might have increased a few percentage points and his already gaudy totals seem almost surreal. Definitely one of the top 10 baseball players of all time, probably in the top 5.

One of the greatest of all time.

I think Mays was the greatest all-around player ever because he has 660 home runs, over 2,000 RBIs, over 3,000 hits, and I think he is the greatest outfielder defensively of all time.

Hey he was pretty especially since I have a signed autographed baseball card of him its worh about 500 dollars. And I looked in the beckett and the price is rapidly growing.

Willie Mays, the Say Hey Kid played with enthusiasm and exuberance while excelling in al phases of the game - hitting for average and power, fielding, throwing, and baserunning. His staggering career statistics include 3,283 hits and 660 homeruns. The Giants' superstar earned National League Rookie of the Year honors in 1951 and two MVP awards. He accumulated 12 Gold Gloves, played in a record-tying 24 ALL-Star Games and participated in four World Series. His catch of Vic Wertz' drive in the 1954 Series remains one of Baseball's most memorable moments.

He could do it all and did it all over a longer period of time than almost anyone. I think the best of them all.

Greatest all around player ever. Nobody could match him in CF and add in 660 home runs. No contest.

Along with his great talent, nobody ever appeared to have more fun playing the game. His over the shoulder catch of Vic Wertz is just one episode.

Along with Honus Wagner the only two people I would consider a perfect ballpalyer.

One of the greatest ever

If you look at Mays from hitting, he is number 3 in home runs and is in the 3000 hit club. Who else is has hit over 600 HR and 3000 hits? The only one is Willie Mays. Who has over 20 stolen bases and 50 homeruns in one year? Mays has it several times. Mays won seven gold gloves. No other ball player could hit, hit with power,catch,throw, and run. Mays was way ahead of his time, he would be able to read the calls of the opposition within minutes. The would say what instictive skills Mays has. He was just to damn smart in America when blacks were still oppressed. He played in the worse ballpark Candlestick and if he played at a real ballpark it would be Mays homerun record. To me he is the greatest player ever and should be number one.

No doubt he is the best. He could field better than Babe. He could run better than Babe. He could almost hit better than Babe. He his for average, Babe didn't. Put 2 and 2 together, and you get the best baseball player of all time.

i can't believe he is 15th on this list. he hit 660 home runs and is probably the greatest defensive center fielder of all time.

Anyone who doesnt rate this guy a 5 has deffinately never seen his catch. They also havnt heard of his excellent batting numbers. How could he be anything less than a 5?!

I kind of laugh when old geezers talk about Ruth or Mantle as being the best ever. . .it was Willie Mays. 660 Home Runs? How about hitting for average and power? How about his defense? How about his speed? How about his ability to throw runners out? There was nothing this guy couldn't do on a diamond. He could play on any team anywhere, anytime in history.

Forget Griffey Jr.,this was the real thing,he could do everyting.One of the top five ever on anyones list.

THE best all-around player. EVER.

Best 5-tool player ever. 660 HRs career BA over .300 in a pitcher's era and in a pitcher's park and he missed a year in the army. Only the Babe was better (he could pitch).

Over 660 home runs. He was an awesome centerfielder with his patented basket, over the shoulder catch. The "Say Hey Kid" was on deck as a rookie when Thompson hit the 'Shot Heard 'Round the World' and was nervous as hell.

Absolutely the best to ever play the game....

Hit for power, hit for runs, stealing bases, play defense, great arm, great attitude, speed, and always in position. What other player can claim all these skills? Ruth? Please! Williams? Tremendous hitter, good arm, no speed, average defense. I could go through this all day...there is no one to match all of Mays' abilities. Willie all the way!

How can any self-respecting, honest baseball fan give less than five stars to Willie Mays. He was the most complete player in the history of the game. No one, with the possible exception of Barry Bonds, has had Mays' combination of defense, speed, power, average and baserunning intelligence. Mays had one thing Bonds doesn't...a great throwing arm. There has never been a more complete package of talent in baseball. Willie lived, and still lives, baseball 24 hours a day. An army stint at the beginning of his prime kept him from breaking Ruth's record first.

Willie Mays is the best all-around baseball player of all time.

Mays was the original five tool player. He could hit, hit with power, field, throw, and run. People always ask whether players of yesterday could compete with the players of today. Well, Mays would be a superstar in any era.

willie had to be one of the top 5 all time...unbelievable in the field and a real threat at the plate...and if only the superstars of today had his attitude!

Willie Mays is the best all around player in the history of baseball. Not the greatest or the most significant, but the best basebal player.

Say Hey had all the skills.

Willie Mays is the greatest defensive player in the history of baseball.