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1963
"A MAN NAMED MAYS"
The 1964 TV special "A Man Named Mays" is now available for the first time on a new 51-minute B & W video from Rare Sportsfilms! Narrated by Charlie Einstein, the tape is a candid, inside look at one of the greatest ballplayers of our time, Willie Mays, and his career with the New York and San Francisco Giants up through the 1963 season. It's not only a look at Willie's overall career (to that point), but also a behind-the-scenes look at "modern day 1963" Willie Mays.
Beginning with shots of the New York ticker tape parade for the 1954 World Champion Giants, the show emphasizes that after being a young World Series hero in New York, Mays had to prove himself all over again to the fans in San Francisco when the club moved west for 1958. The downtown parade in San Francisco welcoming the Giants to the Bay Area is shown, and Mays talks about his early years in San Francisco. (Scenes of old Seals Stadium for Opening Day, 1958).
During the historical segment on Mays' early life Willie is shown as a boy in Birmingham, Alabama, and a brief shot catches him batting in the minors. Mays' first ML manager Leo Durocher comments about Willie's first days in the majors in 1951. Reference to the famous Giant-Dodger playoff in 1951 is made and Thomson's "shot heard 'round the world" is shown with Russ Hodges' famous radio call. Mays' famous catch during the 1954 World Series is still remembered by baseball fans, and in this tape Mays himself talks about "The Catch". Shown also are clips of game three of the '62 Giant-Dodger playoff and mention is made of the similarity to the third game in 1951 exactly 11 years to the day earlier.
Many highlights from Mays' career are shown in this video. Included is his big night at Milwaukee April 30, 1961, when he hit four home runs in one game (each homer is shown as Mays comments about how he felt before and during the game.) There's Willie Mays night at the Polo Grounds, the signing of his $105,000 contract for 1963, his play in the '63 All-Star Game at Cleveland, his 400th home run vs Cardinals August 27, 1963 and his 2,000th hit five days later.
Included in this tape are comments from other baseball personalities who give their opinions of Mays based on their own baseball experience: Manager Alvin Dark, Mets manager Casey Stengel (as only Casey can comment!), Braves manager Bobby Bragan and Stan Musial.
Throughout the video, cameras take you behind the scenes, into the Giants clubhouse before a game, the training room and even the umpires' dressing room. You'll visit Willie's Forest Hills home overlooking San Francisco and you'll hear Mays himself talk about several topics, including the weather at Candlestick Park and why he would rather play games at night, the day Dark asked him to play shortstop, and why he did not enjoy playing in games with his father as a young boy.
As the '63 N.L. pennant race reaches its climax, the video shows how the people of San Francisco get excited about their Giants when they're winning. Cameras take you into Mays' car, and you'll ride along with Willie on his way to a game during the heat of the pennant race as he discusses other topics such as how he plays against the Dodgers, how he feels about getting hit by pitches, the story of his much publicized collapse at home plate during a game, and plans for his son Michael and for his own future after his playing days are over. Willie ends by giving what he feels is his most important advice to any young ballplayer.
You can get your own copy of "A Man Named Mays" for only $29.95 plus $5.00 shipping and handling (Illinois residents must add $2.00 tax).
"RARE SPORTSFILMS N",
1126 Tennyson Lane,
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 527-8890
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