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The Mets held their first Old Timers’ Day since 1994 on Saturday, but the organization made the day more special than just reuniting its iconic players. While Willie Mays was not in attendance, the team chose to retire his No. 24 in a surprise announcement and celebration anyway.
Michael Mays, Willie’s son, was there in his father’s place to accept the honor.
Mays only played parts of two seasons with the Mets, 135 games total to end his career, but he did make the All-Star game in 1973 before retiring. However, since Mays began his career with the New York Giants, and remained with the team when the Giants moved to San Francisco, he represents something more to a Mets organization that succeeded both the Giants and Dodgers as the National League’s baseball team in New York City.
When the Mets traded for Mays in 1972, then-Mets owner Joan Payson hoped that Mays’ Mets jersey would be retired after he retired with the team. However, Joan died before that could go into effect.
In a statement that his son read at the ceremony, Mays expressed how grateful he was to get his number retired by the organization, and how much he appreciates the fanbase.
“You might lose a lot of details after so many years, but what I can never forget is the way it felt to be back in New York City playing for the fans,” he said, via The New York Daily News’ Matthew Robertson. “Mets fans are loyal. Mets fans are passionate. Mets fans are loud.”
Mays becomes the seventh Mets player to have his jersey number retired by the organization, and the second this season after Keith Hernandez got the honor earlier this month.
