Minneapolis, MN
10 Facts About Willie Mays’ Time with the Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were a charter member of the American Association in 1902 and were purchased by the New York Giants in 1946. Twin Cities baseball fans would have to wait until the 1960s for a major league team, so the Millers offered a chance to witness greatness. Willie Mays had been playing professionally since he was a teenager, with a stint on the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League. In 13 games, he went 6-for-43 (.233 BA) with three extra-base hits. After graduating high school, he signed with the Giants and played his first professional season in the Class B Interstate League. His tenure with the Millers began in 1951.
Fact 1: The Giants had two Triple-A teams, so it wasn’t guaranteed that Mays would play in Minneapolis. New York’s other Triple-A team played in Ottawa but the field and facilities were sub-par. Mays was considered a top prospect, so sending him to Minneapolis made sense.
Fact 2: Mays helped the Millers win 13-of-19 spring training games by dominating at the plate. He posted a .408 batting average with five home runs and 29 RBI. He seemed more than ready to help the team when the regular season began.
Fact 3: The Millers started the season with 13 road games to avoid some of the cold spring weather in Minneapolis. Mays posted a .352 batting average on the road trip, making Minneapolis fans even more excited about seeing him in person.
Fact 4: Mays’ defense would become legendary at the big-league level including his famous catch in the World Series. There were already signs of his strong defense with the Millers. The Minneapolis Tribune wrote, “His throwing for power has lived up to reputation. … His throws are not ‘arches.’ Rather, they are power-laden, even when he throws to put the ball into the hands of a receiver on the ground.” They couldn’t have been more accurate in their scouting report of Mays.
Fact 5: Halsey Hall wrote about Mays as the Millers prepared for their home opener. He had a simple statement that would stand the test of time. “We think you’ll like Willie.” For generations of baseball fans, this was a mantra to live by.
Fact 6: Mays lived and played in Minneapolis before the Civil Rights Movement, so that meant he lived in an area called “one of the centers of black life in the Twin Cities in the 1950s.” He rented a room at 3616 4th Ave, which was close enough to walk to Nicollet Park, home of the Millers.
Fact 7: Over 6,000 fans attended the Millers’ home opener despite rainy conditions to get a first-hand view of Mays. The game was halted in the seventh inning but not before the star outfielder collected three hits and made tremendous defensive plays.
Fact 8: During the homestand, Mays made “one of the greatest catches you will ever see.” He tracked down a line drive hit to the way and leaped to make the catch. Mays doubled off the runner at second base to finish the incredible play. The batter put his head down, assumed he got a double and didn’t believe the umpire when he was told that the ball had been caught.
Fact 9: Poor weather in the early part of the season meant few Minneapolis residents attended Millers games. The team played at home for a three-week stretch and averaged fewer than 2,700 fans per game. Many hoped to watch Mays when the weather warmed up, but the Giants had other plans.
Fact 10: Mays dominated during his time in a Millers uniform. In 35 games, he slashed .477/.524/.799 (1.323) with 20 doubles, eight triples, and four home runs. Mays also had more walks (42) than strikeouts (34). On May 24, New York decided it was time for their young phenom to get the call.
Bonus Fact: Some fans were upset that Mays left before they could see him in person. Giants President Horace Stoneham released a quarter-page ad in the Sunday edition of the Minneapolis Tribune to explain the decision. “We appreciate his worth to the Millers, but in all fairness Mays himself must be a factor in these considerations. Merit must be recognized. … Mays is entitled to his promotion, and the chance to prove that he can play major league baseball.”
Mays was more than ready to play major league baseball even with some early struggles. His big-league career has been well documented and relived in recent days so there is no need to rehash those accolades. However, his career as one of baseball’s giants can be traced back to Nicollet Park in Minneapolis, even if not many people were there to see it.
Who do you view as the greatest baseball player of all time? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins’ top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!
View Twins Top Prospects
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis construction workers call on developers to take stand against ICE
Minneapolis, MN
Fan behind Anthony Edwards’ orange bracelet has beaten cancer
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The story behind Anthony Edwards wearing a bright orange bracelet since last season has received a positive development, after Timberwolves fans learned Luca Wright has beaten leukemia.
Anthony Edwards, Luca Wright connection
What we know:
Last January, the 6-year-old Minnesotan met “Ant” for the first time following a game against the Detroit Pistons, proclaiming him to be his favorite player, and asking him to wear a bracelet that symbolizes leukemia awareness, resilience and support for those affected. During the interaction, the fan had created a sign with a to-do list: “1. Beat Cancer. 2. Be The Next MJ.”
Leukemia is a type of cancer that spreads throughout the bloodstream, infecting bone marrow and a person’s lymphatic system by rapid production of abnormal white blood cells that can’t fight infection.
Since then, the Wolves’ MVP has worn a bracelet that proclaims, “Love Like Luca” on it for every game he has played, vowing to wear it “until he hangs up his sneakers.”
Ant has gone on to explain how the gesture connected with him given that he lost both his mother, Yvette, and grandmother, Shirley, to cancer when he was 14 years old. The No. 5 jersey he wears currently is a tribute to them both.
Luca bracelet latest
Dig deeper:
More than a year later, Wolves fans have received the update they hoped for – now 7-year-old Luca has beaten his cancer.
What’s next:
Ant has since responded to the news with his own social media video, calling it “God’s gift” and saying, “Let’s do this Luca.”
No word yet on whether he intends to keep wearing the bracelet, though he’s previously said he has a stash of replacements near the team bench should one ever be broken.
The Source: Information provided by the Minnesota Timberwolves public relations department.
Minneapolis, MN
Family of Minneapolis brothers killed by cousin says their deaths were preventable:
A Minneapolis family is struggling to make sense of a tragedy that has left them heartbroken.
Family tells WCCO 14-year-old Xavier Barnett and 23-year-old Akwame Stewart were killed Monday.
The brothers were very different, but equally loved. Barnett was a good student and athlete. Stewart was a painter, creative and thoughtful. Two brothers, loved and full of promise, gone.
Police say the accused shooter is their cousin, 23-year-old Eddie Duncan.
Court records show Duncan was released on bail Monday on charges of fleeing law enforcement and possession of a gun modified with an “auto sear switch.”
Court records also show Duncan was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation, but not until next month, on March 24.
Deasia Freeman, Barnett and Stewart’s sister, says this loss could have been prevented.
“They all failed us. We got two innocent lives gone for no reason. Didn’t do nothing to nobody,” Freeman said.
Family members say the system and Duncan’s family let them down.
Freeman says Duncan’s family saw the warning signs and still bailed him out
“If you knew this man was thinking like this, y’all should have kept him in there and he should not even have bail,” she said.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says they noted Duncan was a public safety risk and asked for a high bail, much higher than a typical request.
“In Minnesota, there is a constitutional right to bail, and the bail amount is set by the Court. Our office noted a public safety risk with Mr. Duncan and asked the judge to set bail at $70,000, or $35,000 with conditions; both of which are higher than we would typically request in this scenario. The judge set bail in that amount. Mr. Duncan posted $35,000 bail with conditions of release, as is allowed under the Minnesota Constitution, and was released from custody. Our thoughts are with all those impacted by yesterday’s violence. This was a terrible tragedy for this family and our community,” a spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.
For Freeman and her family, the hardest part isn’t just the legal process but living each day without their brothers.
Even in the heartbreak, she says the memories of the good days, the laughter and love they shared will carry them through.
“I wish I could get just one more phone call from them asking me where I’m at,” Freeman said as tears rolled down her face.
Court records confirm Duncan left the scene of the crime and fled to nearby Brooklyn Center. There, a search warrant says Duncan “fired a gun at officers, striking two squads,” when police arrived. That’s when officers returned fire, shooting and killing him.
Three officers have been placed on critical incident leave as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension leads the investigation into Duncan’s fatal shooting.
-
World2 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts3 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Louisiana5 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Denver, CO3 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology7 days agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology7 days agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Politics7 days agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT