Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is regarded by many as the best player in baseball history. Quite literally the man for whom the phrase "five-tool player" was invented, Mays wowed those who saw him play as a teenager for the Birmingham Black Barons. The Giants scout who signed him was famously sent to look at another player on the team, but ultimately sent back a report that made no reference to the player in question, writing instead that Mays was "the best young player I've ever seen." Indeed, Roy Campanella--who played against the young Mays while on a barnstorming tour of the South--reportedly begged the Dodgers to sign the then-18-year-old prodigy. No surprise, then, that a 20-year old Mays should be the first overall selection in the inaugural draft of the United League of fake American Baseball Clubs. Think on that for a second. Mantle, Campy, Jackie, Ted Effin' Williams, Spahn, Musial, Doby, and every other player your care to name from that golden generation, all took a backseat to the great Mays in UL terms. And so it was that the cornerstone of the league's first great dynasty was laid.

Mays, like fellow rookie uber-prospect Mickey Mantle, entered the league as a teenager, and as a result he took a couple seasons to reach his peak.  But even as an unpolished talent, Mays put up respectable numbers:  in 1951 he hit 15 home runs and drove in 68 runs, and in 1952 he hit .300 and drove in 71 to help the Monuments win their first UL crown.  In 1953 Mays began a run of 14 seasons with at least 20 home runs, helping the Mons to a second title.  By 1954, Mays was the Monuments top hitter, and in 1955 he emerged as an MVP candidate, hitting .310-36-106.  Three years later, Mays put up a monster year, establishing career highs .325 with 45 home runs and 133 RBI and winning MVP honors.  Mays had 10 seasons with at least 30 home runs and six 100-RBI seasons, including 1965 and 1966.  After the '66 season, Mays had 484 home runs, was coming off a 32-homer season, and was just 34.  All indicators pointed to an easy trajectory to 500 career home runs, but Mays never made it.  Starting in spring 1967, Mays suffered a serious of injuries that, along with AAA rehab assignments, kept him out of regular UL action for the next three seasons.  His UL average after 1966 was just .230 and he hit only seven home runs in 348 at bats.

Mays had power and could hit for average, but speed and defense defined his game every bit as much as his hitting.  Mays swiped 29 bases in 30 attempts in his rookie year, stole 20 or more bases in 15 of his first 16 seasons, and his 657 career steals ranks second only to Lou brock on the all-time list.  Mays won the first UL Gold Glove for center field and went on to win a total of four, more than any other center fielder.

Mays ended his illustrious career in 1970 one game shy of 2500 career games, but surpassed a number of stratospheric milestones.  He is one of rfour players with 9,000 at bats, one of six players with 2500 hits, 2nd all-time in RBIs and stolen bases, 4th in home runs and runs, and 7th in hits.

Mays was not only the league's first player, but its best player, the best player on the best team, six-time All-ULer, and centerfielder on the All-Decade Team.  Ultimately, Mickey Mantle or Joe Torre may eclipse the great Mays as the player with the strongest claim to be the greatest in league history.  But Mays' legacy as the UL's first superstar and the literal foundation of the the young league will never be surpassed.  (Glen Reed/TJS)


AWARDS & ACCOLADES
All-Decade Team (1951-60)
Most Valuable Player (1958)
All-UL Team (1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961)
Gold Glove Award (1951, 1953, 1955, 1957)
Home Run Champion (1957, 1962)
RBI Champion (1958, 1966), OPS Champion (1958)
8-time Batter of the Month, 11-time Player of the Week

Career Batting Stats
	Age	G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	R	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	RC
1951 Washington	19	148	531	132	30	7	15	68	80	64	73	29	1	.249	.329	.416	.746	79.0
1952 Washington	20	114	453	136	21	8	16	71	83	35	68	32	5	.300	.350	.488	.838	78.8
1953 Washington	21	147	516	129	20	8	21	79	86	67	82	32	6	.250	.336	.442	.778	81.0
1954 Washington	22	140	537	156	16	20	24	97	98	55	103	36	13	.291	.356	.529	.885	100.0
1955 Washington	23	140	513	159	32	13	36	106	108	52	74	19	7	.310	.373	.634	1.007	121.7
1956 Washington	24	147	525	145	17	7	35	96	100	56	75	24	10	.276	.346	.535	.881	97.2
1957 Washington	25	148	523	163	18	7	33	90	112	65	76	44	13	.312	.388	.562	.950	113.5
1958 Washington	26	148	585	190	34	9	45	133	122	65	95	50	19	.325	.392	.644	1.037	141.6
1959 Washington	27	140	510	138	25	9	31	87	93	67	74	49	19	.271	.355	.537	.892	95.1
1960 Washington	28	150	557	148	32	7	32	81	90	75	112	58	22	.266	.351	.521	.872	99.4
1961 Washington	29	150	567	161	31	8	37	101	102	72	108	51	10	.284	.366	.563	.929	121.7
1962 Washington	30	156	584	161	29	2	43	119	108	81	99	52	17	.276	.362	.553	.915	117.9
1963 Washington	31	152	570	152	18	5	28	89	96	105	80	48	29	.267	.380	.463	.843	94.3
1964 Washington	32	157	576	153	34	12	24	92	102	97	77	52	32	.266	.371	.491	.862	95.7
1965 Washington	33	125	500	137	21	6	32	112	78	51	64	29	21	.274	.338	.532	.870	80.4
1966 Washington	34	151	609	179	33	8	32	139	117	80	65	37	17	.294	.369	.532	.901	116.7
1967 Washington	35	27	107	34	11	1	5	24	14	12	7	7	2	.318	.387	.579	.966	22.4
1968 Washington	36	123	205	38	10	1	2	13	30	16	39	6	4	.185	.244	.273	.518	13.9
1970 St. Louis	38	36	35	8	1	1	1	4	14	2	5	2	3	.229	.270	.400	.670	2.4
Total UL		2499	9003	2519	433	139	492	1601	1633	1117	1376	657	250	.280	.358	.523	.881	1739.9