James Hirsch, Author of "Willie Mays, the Life, the Legend"

We thank you all for listening to those beyond Holdren delegates in a few minutes but I of this -- really really really good book out right now about the greatest baseball player that ever lift. -- Thank god that you always said that I'm going on a little bit of a live for those of you you out there who think they're better players and Willie basis say hey Willie but I disagree and I think the gentleman wrote the book James Hersh joins us now live agrees would rewrite James.

I'm doing -- yes Anwar yet. I'm very well.

I gotta tell you had to I'd just begun to read your book OK I'm I'm not through with that yet but I have been diligently reading it every single and what a pleasure it is to read about. About Willie -- because as -- and make Leo look who's here would -- the studio I was saying. Up prior to work. To this conversation review I've always said that I thought Willie Mays agrees wanted to live -- some my good friends have played Major League Baseball always described him the same way. And it -- I guess if you've seen him play.

I think suitable to beat you in more ways than any other players yeah totally. Players who have better offensive statistics but we're we're going better than the box score he had that ability. This score from first space on the hit and run single he'd birdied. A very shallow center field because he go back on the ball so well so that enabled him to take away a lot of basically its but those who betrayed the things it can only show up in the stats that argue for him as the best step.

I'm one of the lines in the beginning of the book which I thought just captured right from the get go was this is a five tool player. Who who were Beno came out before they Bichette was opened.

Who have read this before you can even when you put forth because at the time that will -- this -- into the major -- in 1951. We were really two prototypes for baseball players there was. The classic. Home run hitter. The motto of the paper route you know -- because the ball a mile. But fairly one dimensional and then there weren't that -- who -- speed and it's for a higher average. The prototype for that was tight top that we got players like DiMaggio Williams -- beauty little political speed between -- Bases and more known for taking the extra base. We'll move came along in 1950 or the little guy who could lead the league in stolen bases but also legally in the home run he can hit for power. In steel and take the extra base that can never occurred before a Major League Baseball is a completely new archetype.

Jim a couple of things that impresses me. And like Mikey use one of my certainly in my lifetime and I'm no spring chicken. You youth action was certainly the best player. But. In terms of I mean he's been a pretty. Secluded. You know solitary guy Ian and you know occasional you know Arab. World Series appearances also -- thinks like -- and not really overly public person. And and certainly to chronicle him. As you have how -- go with that -- want. And number two -- the catch off where it's it's is that a kind of iconic play that. He and I talked -- revenue and it's a 35 years. Athletes don't like it like Doug Flutie doesn't like to be you know pinned down to that you know America on Miami. In in any discussion about that catch did he. Did he say oh here we go again or hunted him.

Well it's automatic virtual world and spoken about it many times over the the years and he certainly doesn't mind talking about although if it was by no means is greatest catch ever exactly it was just. On TV during the world food up it is it was an important plays forward. Him for I've been through and let it go -- the Willie Mays landing you can go out. Any new ballpark and he can log in America. Someone catches the ball over his shoulder. What if someone -- of -- exactly they can't sort of any other athlete trying to restore and so Michael Jordan jump shot or -- and -- right -- and so that's what made special but I think what will. It's unfortunate that by and equipment. Other willing and open is that. People know to catch because the film footage of field time money experience you have the computer that that doesn't really do justice to the cats because. You don't. Understand this what can that the forward. That's strong the world center field and in the -- ground with 500 feet up long -- and you feel yeah and and the ball's not a towering -- probably -- that it's a full online drive so it would hit a couple of great we'll -- ground very quickly just to get there. Yup and then the tricky part it was a it was a man on second with one -- in the polo grounds planes were frequently hacked up from second and scored on long drive chart it was sort of so we'll had to kick the ball back into the infield in the way he describes the he used the momentum. There was going away from home plate used the momentum. Apparently it and then the moment it went through his ankles -- slow weeks -- torso and his sword in order. To unleash this great throughout the second based. Umpire Chuck Cook Tomlinson who was the group -- university. And kept the runner at second place from --

And yet now have to be -- an -- second through Jamal let's staff you know client right his body and it's you know that's the -- browsers real short -- this on the on the following a that it went out on the way out of senator I feel like crazy things like 260 to seventy down the line and he came -- an.

New York to at a time when the giants were in dire need of rejuvenation for their franchised -- playing in New York in the fifties which is the the Mecca for all of baseball history up to that point and to a degree thereafter. So the Yankees had the new kid Mickey Mantle and they've just gone through the of the DiMaggio -- And the Dodgers of course were a franchise that was booming and doing very very well Jackie Robinson been with the team for four years looks night Duke Snider that it comes Willie -- to -- a team that really honestly was. 88 not having a very good time of it and he. Partially along with some other guys but when he was the figurehead for rejuvenating that great franchise.

There's certain that if sagging franchise is that the Chinese of course with the preeminent team in the first thirty years. The twentieth century but the and they had fallen on hard times there were boarding net that these three. Why outfielders since spring training in 1951 -- more efficient -- so Garland sluggish. Here in the room and and and and the giants were also losing money that they're they're fans restraint. The way people wanted to go watch trek eleven cent in Brooklyn or no there's only the young Mickey Mantle. And across the Harlem. -- so when will came up -- only age twenty in May of 1951. He was heralded. As the next great player and he was even declared a local legend. I -- the second month. That he wouldn't been the major leagues because he he had this great natural ability and played with so much enthusiasm. And choice for and so let them from the get -- even though he's struggled initially at the place.

Need to be like a one for 25 or something -- for.

for 26 view imagery with. Go back to the minor leagues that they keep that he should go back to -- we currently he he began his career in in Birmingham. But it manager Leo Durocher. But can this talent and and so they're all really needed was unconditional love and support and -- he brought that. And it'll look told Willie is a -- from the manager you're right center fielder that was what really needed and he ended up winning the rookie of the year.

Yeah you know I always found that by the way wasn't Willie Mays on deck when that Thompson -- to you US right. But I was from that great mixture -- durocher. You know a -- guy. You know file Tom. Sophisticated streets -- Willie from Alabama right wasn't from Alabama this man and a quiet Cammie. And what and it took a brash guy like to Rocha to really under you would've thought. On the outside looking in. With hindsight that you know this is the worst kind of manager -- gonna break this kid and he understood him. Emphatically entirely I I always thought that was a great relationship. You know it it's great we had dismissed sometimes and in baseball you know hands.

It is my great relationship it's actually one of my favorite parts of the brought peace between the reason you identified -- reviewed over two people from completely opposite sides of the track you think they would have nothing -- there was a real -- and even a -- between them to do that lasted through the rest of two Russian life.

I'm from Willie -- in archive is a young kid when you know -- really truly follow baseball the early sixties and -- by there was already don't -- the legend that he was. But when you look back at these numbers of course and in in reflection on steroid era that followed it makes you wanna roll up. When I think of of of a guy like Barry Bonds passing his sick is godfathers record. You know when he did an -- hectares Robert 660 a month he played a wind tunnel and candlestick park for good portions career. Where's virtually impossible and don't run as literate someone like Willie Mays Willie McCovey. 2000 runs 2062 runs twelve gold gloves 24 All-Star games. -- 38 stolen bases he could had a whole lot more he played a different era. The 660 home runs. You know as a as a -- that was a record for right handed hitters at the time. This guy was just. He was all of that any human the only -- that could compared to him what might have been a healthy Mickey Mantle if he'd ever stayed that way.

I think that's true RON and it. For all of those great statistics. He was better than his numbers because he played the game in in a way that it. He people -- think that we're we're not measurable. Does is it a couple of different examples. There was one game. You -- second base. And there's a sinking line drive into center field the second -- some parent goes running out -- it have to borrow from the drop because. The third base umpire -- to second base to cover for the second base umpire. The ball drops for a hit it really takes off for third. Soon there was no were president he'd cut -- for a bad by about ten feet and court. Google's moving to endorse mr. McConnell we definitely. What -- do you approve the -- Propose some post wrote I don't think really missed that -- listen the kind of influence in the look at the in the dugout mentally messing.

Laughing and as soon as always. You know and when you watch the the Ken Burns documentary you know some people criticize because it had a couple of inaccuracies in April when they did the heat the thing -- Willie -- one of the innings that they -- it was about the fifties they talked about Willie. It talked with a catch the talked about how other people were described when he was gonna catch the ball he'd always at the globe once. He pat the glove and if you watched the catch footage is what this is way before David Katz he did pass the -- wants when he made Beckett the other thing about a which would -- which I -- Was that when he was gonna get a triple the have to walk between first second. I love that I'm on a second -- just unbelievable yeah.

In Britain witnesses recruits. Sorry about about it in equity with. Patent is Lebanese rejected opposing players picked up on that and so in one game there are the bases loaded lieutenants and field. In the broad historical will head. We're knows he can't catch it. The -- is. The all the runners on base -- he's going to patent content through the -- boot camp with the balance the top defense. When Fukudome went down the road back into the infield. The battery and cut in uniform and put singled with one and.

There well I tell you what I'm I'm so looking forward to the rest this book judge James -- the author of Willie Mays the life legend and it's authorize Willie -- period you got a question yeah.

I just again because you know he's he's not been an easy -- Regis he's gotten older. This a's got a little crank here and -- mean -- not -- I'm not a question that that is probably lot of things on his Miami in the reflects on his grip. But I mean how did you get to ham and -- in the did you get a sense of he was like opening a door that he had no move forward to are journalists.

Well in them put both the short story version of -- I spent many years trying to reach and I first tried to protect him in year 2000 and I heard yeah. If any each and every other year have come back to him. -- he would sit down and talked -- finally. In January. 2007 he agreed to speak with me like flew out there. And chatted with them -- since he was reluctant wound is a very private person is modest he doesn't like to tout themselves. Are prevalent accomplishments -- As -- gluten was. -- 78 years old now. And it without sending him a couple Brothers is that that was the time to cooperate. -- wrote -- tries to define your -- on and off the field. You don't do it now it won't be done and he's not no -- where -- your point of view is front and center right there isn't brought persuaded really too. Open up to midnight -- took time I would spend a lot of time with well but -- his -- the forty people thought that trust. But tend to follow what the need for a moment ago about effective cranky old guy that. And that's the biggest misconception about Willy he's got this crusty exterior. Which he doesn't put as a protective mechanism -- he's been betrayed many times since. -- now wants a piece of Willie Mays don't keep keep people earlier on planes but want to put through that. You know he's he's very warm and generous with his friends with kids. And keep -- own mind for a but the trajectory of his life he was born and it as a as a proactive in depression attitude and that keeps -- of where African Americans were denied basic rights he reached the pinnacle sports world and its 28 in New York's Andy of old ones -- on now. Confront an airforce one with the president now -- worrisome to me I could not have trumped -- by the nightly.

Cool cool thing and I'm really glad you got the the opportunity to do this I'm sure you are too. And we -- just encourage people -- Make sure if you're I got a quite a baseball collection. And missing from that collection was the the -- quintessential Willie Mays saga in writing and James Hersch. Is the author of we're glad you did it I'm glad I have a copy of it more than you know. And good luck with the book. -- Talking it was about Willie Mays the it is an Iraqi Telemar about a third of the way through and I and I know this is a book I'm gonna finish that fast and -- Added the easiest thing and I wanted to ask you did steroids. That really yeah yeah -- South Korea really. -- director of phone calls in just a moment here after a short break through on the planet Mikey show.

So people who were always looking for ways toned down my guess kind of slow. Advantageous for -- obscenely bad role model he's got a point it's Mike Adams would planet Mikey on the WEEI Sports Radio network.

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