Willie Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.
, statistics compared by analysts say he may be the finest “fivetool player” ever, and possibly the greatest all around baseball player. After his retirement, he
the New York Mets hitting instructor.
, from 1986 on, Mays served as Special Assistant to the President of the San Francisco Giants and was also on the advisory board of the Baseball Assistance Team, a nonprofit organization that helps former Major and Minor League players through economic and health difficulties.
, he has raised money for financial grants, healthcare programs, and rehabilitative counseling for players needing help. So, how does Robinson’s professional career compare to that of Willie Mays? Mays started his professional baseball career four years later than Robinson, and it was not as difficult. Robinson’s start was difficult because he had opened doors for his fellow African Americans in this sport.
, Robinson could have had a higher rating than #44 and been compared closer to Mays’s #2 overall rating, if not for his health issues. Certainly, both of these men are known for
athletic talents, fortitude, and influence in the world. In professional baseball, these two men earned great success and
used their fame, money, and influence to help others.