Willie Mays vs. Hank Aaron

[scottydog]

Are any of you old enough to remember seeing Willie Mays and Hank Aaron play baseball?

I became a fan at the tail end of their careers. I wish I had seen them in their primes. Who was the better player? Aaron hit more home runs but Mays may have been the better fielder and baserunner.

If you are interested in the ingredients that made Mays a hero, check out my blog on Willie Mays here.

 

[Starbreaker]

Well... I'm biased...

 

[scottydog]

Every one of us is biased. What's your bias?

 

[Starbreaker]

I figured the giant avatar would give it away.

 

[scottydog]

Well if it's a Giant avatar, as you call it, then you prefer Willie Mays. But if it's a Braves' avatar, then you are a hammerin' hank fan. I'm guessing the latter!

 

[Starbreaker]

Yup. I made a pun and didn't even know it.

 

[scottydog]

I'm old enough to remember seeing Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run on TV in 1974. The guy was amazing. Even at age 40 he was a menace at the plate, and this was well before players began cheating with steroids.

 

[Star Wolf]

Willie Mays was a social icon before Hank Aaron got within striking range of Ruth's record. By the time I noticed either of them Aaron had more time left in his career. I remember reading a Mays bio as a kid and I just started a new one by James Hirsch.

 

[scottydog]

^The Hirsch bio is actually quite good. You'll enjoy it. Mays probably got more media attention than Aaron having begun his career in New York.