So all of DC is snowed in and it is starting to get depressing. My refuge: the MLB network where it is always sunny and there is no snow. I watched a Bob Costas interview with Willie Mays last night that cheered me up a little. Before I go on, I want to say that Costas is one of the best sports journalists ever. I know some people think he may be almost too affable, and while he may not be as engaging as Cosell, he is just as good and memorable. And much like Matthew Broderick, he seems to not have aged a day since "Ferris Bueller" came out with the exception of the hair.
I bring this interview up because it warms me up to talk about baseball, and because it further backs my point that Mays is the best ever in the sport of baseball. "The Say Hey Kid" is the original Peter Pan. Because he doesn't have the ability to age like Costas, he is getting older. But he still has the spirit and told two great stories.
The first was a story between the Giants and the Milwaukee Braves between Warren Spahn and Juan Marichal where the two starters lasted into extras. In the 15th, Marichal yelled out to Mays as he headed to the box and pleaded "could you help me out?" Mays smiled, looked back and replied "you've only gone 15 young man." The irony was that Marichal was only 27, Spahn, still on the mound was 42 and Marichal, whose arm was about to fall off couldn't be shown up by a guy 15 years his senior. Then Mays homered and walked-off. Baseball has changed.
Another story is Mays was playing in a town he did not specify, and was the only black player on either team. He was booed mercilessly in a lesser time in our history throughout the first two games but hit three homers. As he went to the plate in the third game the PA announcer boomed to the crowd; "I know you don't like this guy right here but could you just give him a clap so he won't hurt us?" After he went yard again, he got a standing O.
Just hope those stories make you feel warmer in cold bitter weather.
As an update, Mays showed up on the Jon Stewart show as well.
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