Happy 80th birthday, Willie Mays

Say Hey ... Happy 80th birthday, Willie Mays

Possibly the greatest living player.

Why "possibly"? Well, Musial is still with us, and it's hard to choose. Willie finished in the top ten in the MVP balloting twelve times, including ten in a row. Stan did it 14 times, including ten in a row. But let's say they are the greatest living right-handed hitter and the greatest living lefty. No matter which way you cut it, there's one thing that makes Willie special: there is no element of the game at which Mr. Mays was anything less than superlative. He had two 50-homer seasons. He hit over .340 twice. He knocked in 140 runs one year. He led in stolen bases four years in a row. He led the league in triples three times. He once led the league in walks. And in the outfield - well, here's what people say to this day: "He's good, but he's no Willie Mays." In other words, Willie is the bar that everyone else has to clear. To paraphrase Chevy Chase, he's Willie Mays, and you're not.