Willie Mays was so sensational, he was in a class by himself

TOKYO — I read with sadness of the passing of the great Willie Mays, who died recently at the age of 93. “Great” seems somehow not enough to describe him.

Mays could do it all. He was an All-Star 24 times. He had 660 career home runs, leading the league four times, once with 52. He also won two MVP’s and is one of the very few players to hit four homers in one game. But it was hard to quantify the sheer presence and energy he brought to the game. He played baseball with a verve unmatched by any other player. He was the first person in MLB history to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in the same season. In addition to his 660 career home runs, he also had 300 total stolen bases.

Joe DiMaggio, regarded by many at the time as the greatest baseball player ever, called Mays, “The closest thing you can come to perfection.”