Major League Baseball has renamed the World Series MVP Award in honor of Willie Mays. Beginning this fall an honoree will now be named the Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player.
“Major League Baseball is thrilled to honor Willie Mays on our game’s biggest stage and in a manner that befits his many contributions to the sport,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Since making ‘The Catch’ on Sept. 29, 1954, Willie has been a part of World Series history.
“This annual recognition will forever celebrate the life and career of a legend of the national pastime.” MLB’s announcement comes on the 63rd anniversary of Mays making the legendary over-the-head basket catch in center field at the Polo Grounds in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series.
Mays played in four World Series over his 22-year career, winning one with the New York Giants the year of his famous catch. The World Series MVP Award has been presented annually since 1955.
The 20-time All-Star batted .302/.384/.557 with 523 doubles, 140 triples, 660 home runs and 1,903 RBI. Mays was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.
MLB moved to honor two other famed players last season, with the American League batting title will being named after Hall-of-Famer Rod Carew, and the National League award named after the late Tony Gwynn.
The batting titles are now the Rod Carew American League Batting Champion Award and the Tony Gwynn National League Batting Champion Award.
