BY MICHAEL J. FEENEY / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
One wants a street near legendary center fielder’s old home. Another wants a highway service road near where the old Polo Grounds used to stand.
Thanks to NYGPS Member Greg Prince for finding this!!

Somehow, an easy can of corn has become a political hot potato in Harlem. There are currently two completely different proposals before the City Council to co-name a street for legendary New York Giants slugger Willie Mays — one at the 82-year-old Hall of Famer’s St. Nicholas Pl. home and the other on a highway service road near the Polo Grounds. Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez favors the service road location, but found himself stranded at third when Councilman Robert Jackson later pushed the 80 St. Nicholas Pl. location because, as he put it, “Willie Mays did not live on that service road.” And the baseball giant’s son knows which proposal is the better one: “It’s historically correct that he lived on St. Nicholas Pl.,” said Michael Mays, 54. “That would be the proper place (to honor him).” Under Jackson’s plan, the stretch between W. 153rd and W. 155th Sts. would be co-named “Willie Mays Place.” The other location — which would be called “Willie Mays Drive” — is located along a Harlem River Drive service road starting at Edgecombe Ave. and W. 155th St. Michael Mays said he was not sure why the service road was even suggested. “I don’t know what it has to do with anything. I don’t really know where that idea came from,” the Washington Heights resident said, referring to the desolate service road. That location was initially approved by Community Board 10 in 2008, but it has been stalled. Jackson and Michael Mays now hope to get the name change approved before Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, which will be played at Citi Field on July 16. Rodriguez issued a statement late Tuesday trying to toss a tarp over the controversy, saying both locations should be named for Mays.

Sat, 22 Jun, 2013 – Sun, 23 Jun, 2013

Celebrate the World Champion San Francisco Giants at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. June is Giants’ month at the Hall, and on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23 the Hall of Fame will celebrate the rich history of the Giants organization and their 2012 World Series Championship. Throughout the day visitors can learn about the history of the Giants through guided tours and artifact spotlights. Trivia contests and craft stations will round out the program offerings. As a special treat, the 2012 World Series trophy will be on display for photo opportunities on both days. On Saturday, June 22, the Hall of Fame will welcome author Larry Hogan to talk about his new book, So Many Seasons in the Sun: A Century of Conversations with Baseball’s Greatest Clubhouse Managers.
This from the Hall of Fame website:
For the second time in three years, a green summer will turn orange with Giants fans as the World Series trophy visits the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown. The San Francisco Giants’ 2012 World Series trophy will be on exhibit at the Museum June 22-23 as part of Giants Weekend and a celebration of the Hall of Fame’s Autumn Glory exhibit.The Giants made history with their first World Series championship in San Francisco in 2010. Their predecessors, the New York Giants, had already achieved mythical status as one of the powerhouse teams of the first century of play in the National League – winning five World Series crowns before moving to the City by the Bay in 1958.
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Received this photo from Staci Slaughter and the Giants last night from the Giants Trophy Tour Day.

The NYGPS presented a check to Larry Baer at the Giants Trophy Tour in Manhattan, to the Jr. Giants Fund. The $400 was used to buy new gloves for underpriveleged youths in SF. This was our way of saying THANK YOU for the Giants remembering us as well as contributing to a very worthy cause. We continue to contribute when we can (meetings etc.) If you would like to help, let us know or contact the Giants directly.

HELD ON MAY 1, 2013
NYGPS Member Peter A. Magowan, the former managing general partner of the San Francisco Giants and now the Giants President Emeritus, was kind enough to send us his introduction of W…illie Mays at Mae Mays’ funeral ceremony a few weeks back. What a beautiful piece!! Here is his speech:
THANK YOU, MALCOLM FOR THAT VERY GENEROUS INTRODUCTION. AS YOU KNOW, LARRY BAER, WHO RUNS THE GIANTS, IS RECOVERING FROM AN UNEXPECTED SURGERY, AND CANNOT BE WITH US TODAY, MUCH AS HE WANTED TO BE. HE HAS ASKED METO REPRESENT THE GIANTS AS WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO WILLIE AND HIS FAMILY.

I’D LIKE TO BEGIN BY TELLING A STORY THAT I THINK SHOWS HOW MUCH WILLIE LOVED MAE.

RIGHT AFTER WE BOUGHT THE GIANTS I ASKED WILLIE TO VISIT ME. WHEN HE ARRIVED I SAID THAT THE GIANTS WANTED HIM TO ASSUME A PROMINENT ROLE IN OUR ORGANIZATION. WILLIE ASKED IF THERE WOULD BE A CONTRACT AND, IF SO, FOR HOW LONG AND I TOLD HIM THE GIANTS WERE PREPARED TO OFFER HIM A LIFETIME CONTRACT. WHEN I SAID LIFETIME THE TEARS STARTED ROLLING DOWN HIS CHEEKS. HE WAS THAT SURPRISED AND THAT HAPPY.

TEN YEARS WENT BY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I GOT A CALL FROM WILLIE ASKING TO SEE ME. SO WE GOT TOGETHER AND HE SAID “I NEED TO DISCUSS MY CONTRACT”. I WAS QUITE SURPRISED, AS WE WERE PAYING HIM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS QUITE A GENEROUS AMOUNT ANNUALLY. I ASKED HIM, “IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE MONEY?” “OH NO”, HE REPLIED, “THE MONEY IS FINE”. “IT’S THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT THAT BOTHERS ME.” “THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT”, I ASKED, QUITE SURPRISED, “DO YOU WANT ME TO MAKE IT SHORTER”?.. “NO, NO” WILLIE REPLIED, “I NEED AN EXTENSION”. “AN EXTENSION”? NOW I’M REALLY SURPRISED. “AN EXTENSION ON A LIFETIME CONTRACT? I NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING.” “YES, THAT’S WHAT I NEED. I NEED ONE MORE YEAR FOR MAE TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT WHEN I’M NO LONGER THERE TO TAKE CARE OF HER”. Continue reading →

WILLIE MAYS TURNS 82 ON MAY 6.