Baseball world and celebrities react to Willie Mays’ death

The death of Willie Mays on Tuesday at the age of 93 sparked a tribute rarely bestowed on a professional athlete. Mays was no ordinary athlete.

Read more: Willie Mays dies at 93; was the oldest living Hall of Famer in baseball

According to the San Francisco Giants, where Mays played most of his Hall of Fame career, he received honorary degrees from Dartmouth, Miles College, Ohio State University, San Francisco State and Yale University. The sports news Mays was ranked second only to Babe Ruth among the 100 greatest baseball players of the 20th century. ESPN listed him eighth in its ranking of the 50 greatest athletes of the century.

Given such fame and recognition, it is perhaps not surprising that May’s death on Tuesday sparked reactions from numerous celebrities inside and outside the sporting world.

Former CCR singer and guitarist John Fogerty is a well-known baseball fan who is a perfect demographic fit to honor Mays’ heyday. He was 12 years old and living in the Bay Area when Mays’ New York Giants moved west to San Francisco.

Of course, Fogerty was one of the musicians who expressed their appreciation for Mays’ life on his Twitter/X account:

Actor and director Billy Crystal is known for directing the acclaimed baseball film 61* and is a well-known New York Yankees fan. He also commented on Twitter/X, showing off a signed Mays memorabilia from his collection:

Rapper Chuck D is also a huge baseball fan and is very knowledgeable about African-American history and Mays’ role in the integration of baseball as one of the game’s first black stars:

Mays’ recognition by President Barack Obama goes beyond the awarding of the Medal of Freedom to Mays in 2015. Of course, Obama was one of the most prominent public figures to comment on Mays’ death:

Obama was not the only former president to pay tribute to Mays, as Bill Clinton also shared his own tribute on Twitter/X:

Former United States Attorney General Eric Holder also expressed his deep appreciation for May’s life and career:

Former New York Yankees, Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher CC Sabathia grew up in the Bay Area city of Vallejo. He also expressed his appreciation for Mays in a social media post:

Former New York Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams, now a professional musician, also expressed his appreciation for Mays:

Mays will be honored throughout Major League Baseball on Wednesday with a moment of silence before each game.