One of the greatest players to ever grace a baseball diamond, Willie Mays, died Tuesday. He was 93.
And since the news of Mays’ passing, some glorious tributes have been shared for the life that was. That includes Charles Barkley, who went on CNN and joined Kaitlan Collins via phone as he, too, paid tribute to the man who was.
Charles Barkley reflects on the death of Willie Mays: “We have no idea what these guys have been through…To try to be great at a sport, and then deal with all the racial strife that these guys had to deal with, that’s what makes them heroes.” pic.twitter.com/IRBublMaJG
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) June 19, 2024
“I actually met him, probably close to 10 times, and it was always an honor and a privilege,” said Barkley. “You know, anytime I was around him or the late, great Hank Aaron, man, it was just pure joy being around royalty. Most people don’t even know they’re from Alabama. I can’t remember the last time Mr. Mays had been to Alabama, but when they talk about the greatest athletes from Alabama, he and Hank are right at the top of the list. But their greatness and humility was what separated them from anybody else.”
Collins asked Barkley to describe Mays’ impact on Black athletes, regardless of the sport.
“We’re so young, most of us Black athletes, we have no idea what these guys have been through,” added Barkley. “We can see the pictures, we can see the movies, but I can’t imagine what it’s like to be Black and just trying to play sports (in that era). And, obviously, shout out to baseball just making all the Negro League records relevant…I just can’t imagine. I’ve been able to stay in any hotel I want to. I’ve been able to go to any restaurant I want to.
“To try to be great at a sport, and dealing with all that racial strife that these guys had to deal with, that’s what makes them heroes. It’s easy for guys today to be heroes when you’re making $40-50 million when you’re playing a sport. You can say what you want to; you can do what you want to. But trying to be great at a sport when you can’t stay at a certain hotel, you can’t go to a certain restaurant, and trying to be great at your sport, that’s what makes Mr. Mays, Hank Aaron, Larry Doby, and those guys, that’s what makes those guys heroes.”
Barkley was beyond starstruck when he was able to meet not only Mays but Aaron on numerous occasions.
“I was like a little kid. They were so humble and so gracious,” he says. “And I was just like, ‘I’m getting to meet Hank Aaron and Willie Mays,’ and they were both, you know, you want your heroes to be a certain way, and when I was around Mr. Mays and Mr. Aaron, man, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life…But when you meet a hero, and they’re even better than you thought they were going to be, it’s pretty special.
“And 93, he lived an amazing life. So, this is more of a celebration of reflection. I always say it’s only sad when young people die, but to live as long as he did, and hopefully, he got his flowers — he got it from baseball — and hopefully, he got it from some of the young Black baseball players did today.”
