Willie Mays
Willie Mays was one of the greatest all-around players of all time, playing at a high level at the plate, on the basepaths, and in the outfield, and doing it all for a very long time.
Mays first reached the Majors in 1951 with the New York Giants, and won the Rookie of the Year award despite having what would turn out to be one of the worst seasons of his career. Early in his second season, he was drafted into the Army, where he would spend nearly 2 seasons, before returning to baseball on a mission in 1954.
He led the league with a .345 batting average that year while also slugging 41 homers, which resulted in him taking home the MVP award, and he wasn't done yet. The Giants won the pennant, returning to the World Series after losing in Mays' rookie season, and this time Mays played well, getting 4 hits and 4 walks in a 4-game sweep of the Indians, and he also made one of the most famous defensive plays in history when he made an over-the-shoulder running grab to save 2 runs in the 8th inning of game 1.
The next season he was even better, leading the league with 51 homers and 382 total bases, but he finished #4 in the MVP voting when the Giants failed to reach the playoffs. The next year he became the second player ever to join the 30-30 club, finishing with 36 homers and a league-leading 40 steals. In his first 3 full seasons after his rookie season, he had led the league in hitting, homers, and steals, showing his all-around acumen.
He led the league in steals in each of the next 3 seasons as well, which bridged the Giants' move from New York to San Francisco. He continued his high level of play for many more years, finishing among the top 10 of the MVP voting for 10 straight seasons from 1957 to 1966.
He had his two best seasons in 1964 and 1965, when he hit 47 and 52 home runs, respectively, both times tops in the league. The 10 year gap between his two 50-home run seasons is the longest in history, which shows his longevity he had as well. He was also given his second MVP in 1965, 11 years after winning his first.
From that point on, his productivity started to slip, but he played on until 1973, when he reached the World Series with the New York Mets, becoming the oldest starting position player ever in the championship round. Though they lost that year, giving him just one win in his 4 World Series appearances, his regular season numbers are among the best ever.
Mays is #3 all-time in total bases, #5 in home runs, #7 in runs, and #12 in hits and RBI. He is one of only 4 players with 3000 hits and 600 home runs, along with Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols, and Alex Rodriguez. He holds the record for most All-Star games played, with 24 (there were multiples All-Star games for a few seasons), and is absolutely one of the greatest to ever play the game.
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