[Night Hides Not]

Willie was my first sports hero. I went to many games at Candlestick Park in the 60s, starting in 1962 when I was 8 years old, I had his uniform and glove… still have the glove. I learned so much about baseball, just watching Willie play.

His playing weight never exceeded 210 pounds.

He also played a key role in the finest pitched game in history: 7/2/1963, the epic duel between Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn. Willie hit the home run that won it for the Giants in the bottom of the 16th inning, 1-0. Both pitchers pitched complete games.

[pkajj]

I went to a game in Houston the year the Astrodome opened (1965). The high flying Giants pummeled the lowly Astros 10-1 that day, with Juan Marichal on the mound. The highlight of the day was seeing Willie Mays hit a monster home run to dead center field, which very few accomplished in the old Astrodome, where majestic, well hit fly balls mostly died on the warning track.