The Chicago Cubs finally gave their fans something to cheer about on Tuesday evening, beating the San Francisco Giants 5-2 at Wrigley Field. The victory halted a 3-8 skid for the Cubs, who have fallen to last place in the NL Central thanks to a prolonged slump.
Unfortunately, the night had its share of bad news as well. During the game, news broke that Giants legend Willie Mays had passed away at age 93.
Chicago was quick to honor the Hall of Famer. With the game tied at 2-2 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, Cubs PA announcer Jeremiah Paprocki informed the crowd of 36.297 that Mays had passed peacefully earlier in the day.
An image of Mays flashed on the giant video board in center field with the caption "Willie Mays: 1931-2024." Paprocki then asked everyone in the stands for a moment of silence to remember the late Hall of Famer.
While Mays retired after spending the 1973 season with the New York Mets, many older baseball fans have fond memories of watching him play. He never played for Chicago, but he was a regular on the North Side during his 23-season career, playing 179 games there -- his most at any road stadium.
Mays dazzled Cubs fans with his power, speed and fielding prowess. The gifted center fielder must have loved playing at Wrigley Field based on his outstanding numbers there. He routinely feasted on the team's pitching, batting .342/.413/.664 with 54 home runs, 146 RBIs and 29 stolen bases at Wrigley.
Few ballplayers could put on a show like Mays, a two-time MVP and 24-time NL All-Star who many consider the best all-around player in MLB history. Baseball won't be the same without him.
