Honoring ‘The Say Hey Kid’: Why Willie Mays Deserves to Be the Face of Major League Baseball
In a poignant display of respect and remembrance, the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants shared a quiet interlude to honor the beloved baseball icon Willie Mays, who passed away peacefully at his California residence earlier this week. A tribute at Rickwood Field in Mays’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama that was originally coordinated to honor the Negro Leagues will offer a moment of silence in commemoration of Mays' passing. This hallowed ground not only witnessed the beginnings of Mays' remarkable professional baseball career but now stands as a sacred space where his legacy is enshrined. Sports pundits have proposed a different unique angle on how to further immortalize Mays’s legacy. ESPN baseball writer Buster Olney, who covers the MLB's exclusive Sunday night telecasts, advocated for the MLB to rebrand its logo in honor of Mays. "He absolutely should be the logo of Major League Baseball," Olney said on the Get Up Podcast. "Because of that incredible style, because he was so good at everything." He went on to highlight the ambiguity of MLB’s current logo, suggesting that sketching a depiction of Mays's iconic over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series would instantly resonate with baseball fans. The origins of the current design, however, remain a mystery.
The current MLB logo design is widely attributed to graphic designer Jerry Dior in 1968 but lacks a clear source of inspiration compared to the NBA's unmistakable silhouette of Jerry West. Many speculate that the logo was crafted in homage to Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer Harmon “Killer” Killebrew. In a conversation with ESPN writer Paul Lukas, Killebrew recounted noticing Dior sketching what he was informed would be a new Major League Baseball logo. Coincidentally, Dior had a photo of Killebrew in a batting stance while he composed the sketch. However, no official confirmation from Dior, Killebrew, or MLB has surfaced, leaving the logo’s true origins shrouded in mystery. This uncertainty bolsters the argument for MLB to consider rebranding its logo in honor of an iconic figure like Willie Mays, whose legacy embodies the essence of baseball. Contemporary baseball fans may feel lukewarm about the decision to pivot from a logo that has been synonymous with the league for 56 seasons. However, the current design lacks deeper significance, both in baseball history and American culture. ‘The Say Hey Kid’ stood as a testament to civil rights activism and exemplified the importance of sportsmanship, all while dominating nearly every facet of the game.
The numbers are irrefutable: Mays ranks top-10 all-time in total bases, home runs, runs scored, and holds an MLB record for 23 All-Star Game appearances. Mays possessed the complete skill set with his power, hitting, speed, accuracy, and fielding. Moreover, his candidacy has gained momentum due to his contributions toward diversity and inclusion, particularly in the context of advancing racial equality. While he didn’t directly break the color barrier like Jackie Robinson famously did in 1947, he contributed to demonstrating that talent and skill transcend color. His success on the field, akin to Robinson's, shattered narratives suggesting African Americans lacked the same abilities as White Americans. Both his on-field prowess and off-field character marked him as a trailblazer and a symbol of hope and opportunity for future generations of athletes. Whether it's a fusion of Robinson and Mays' faces or the proposed standalone silhouette of Mays, rebranding to honor culturally significant, accomplished phenoms is a step towards forever immortalizing Mays and the diverse tapestry of baseball history and its impact on society.
