Willie Mays: Celebrated as an 'Immortal Giant' in U.S. Senate Resolution

Willie Mays was celebrated in the U.S. Senate on Thursday with a resolution that honored him as an individual who “personified the American Dream” through his “relentless work ethic and determination,” elevating him to the status of an “immortal giant” in baseball.

This resolution was introduced by Alabama’s Republican U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, along with Democratic Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler from California, following Mays’ passing on June 18 at the age of 93.

The resolution was unanimously approved 43 days after Alabama hosted its first-ever in-season Major League Baseball game, attended by Britt. This game, held on June 20 at the historic Rickwood Field, featured the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants. It was a tribute to the Negro Leagues and celebrated Mays' enduring legacy.

“Willie Mays is a true giant – simply put, he was the greatest of all-time,” Britt said in a statement on Friday. “When he was on the field, he showcased more than incredible talent and skill—he brought a joyful exuberance to the game. Millions of Americans grew up looking up to this legendary Alabama native, dreaming of one day being like him.”

Tuberville, former Auburn football coach, added that Mays would “go down in history as one of the greatest” baseball players ever. “He truly embodied the American dream and his legacy will last far beyond his incredible, inspiring lifetime,” Tuberville stated, referring to Mays as a “true Alabama hero.”

Born in 1931 in Jefferson County, Mays was a standout multi-sport athlete at Fairfield Industrial High School. At 16, he began his professional baseball career with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American Leagues, helping the team reach the Negro League World Series in 1948.

The Senate resolution commemorates Mays’ baseball career, highlighting his first professional hit at Rickwood Field and his legendary basket catch in the 1954 World Series, a moment famously known as “The Catch.”

Mays remains the only MLB player with over 300 home runs, 300 stolen bases, 3,000 career hits, and a batting average above .300. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 and was a 24-time All-Star, two-time National League MVP (1954, 1965), winner of 12 Gold Gloves, and a four-time National League home run leader. Mays was also the 1951 National League Rookie of the Year.

Additionally, the resolution acknowledges Mays' service in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from 1952-1954 and his lasting impact on the San Francisco Giants, whose stadium address is 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

Known as “the Say Hey Kid,” Mays received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015, the highest civilian honor awarded by the President.