Sports
Column: Baseball legend Willie Mays instrumental in California fight against housing discrimination
As a ballplayer, Willie Mays was arguably the greatest of all time — baseball’s GOAT. But he also starred in another endeavor — as an important California civil rights pioneer.
Mays never wanted to be an activist about anything off the baseball diamond. But the racism he encountered after moving to San Francisco stirred others to leap to his cause and ultimately helped motivate the city and state governments to outlaw housing discrimination.
His role began when Mays arrived in San Francisco from New York with the Giants baseball team in late 1957. Local folks in supposedly enlightened San Francisco welcomed the star outfielder by trying to bar him from a white neighborhood.
Mays downplayed it publicly, but his wife, Marghuerite Mays, spoke out to reporters: “Down in Alabama where we come from, you know your place. But up here, it’s all a lot of camouflage. They grin in your face and deceive you.”
Willie Mays receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama at the White House in 2015.
(Evan Vucci / Associated Press)
Never mind that Mays was en route to the baseball Hall of Fame as the best all-around ballplayer in history. Didn’t matter. If a Black man was allowed to buy a home in a desirable neighborhood — adjoining tony St. Francis Wood in the Sunset District — nearby property values would tumble. At least that’s what white neighbors openly feared.
“I happen to have a few pieces of property in the area, and I stand to lose a lot if colored people move in,” a nearby home builder told reporters.
Yes, that was San Francisco — in fact, virtually all of California — until laws were passed in the 1960s to stop such discrimination. The change was aided significantly by Mays’ indirect help, according to another legendary Willie from San Francisco — former mayor and longtime state Assembly Speaker Willie Brown.
I called Brown, 90, after Mays died this week at age 93. Brown, a rare Black lawyer in late 1950s San Francisco, struck up an early friendship with Mays.
“He was a joy, frankly. A fun guy,” Brown says.
Brown credits the racial bias against Mays with galvanizing the city into adopting an ordinance forbidding housing discrimination.
“It started with Willie Mays,” Brown told me. “As a result of his being rejected, newspapers suddenly became aware of the racism in San Francisco.
“San Francisco wasn’t racist like other parts of the country. People smiled.”
Brown continued: “The fair housing law of San Francisco was passed because Mays got denied the right of housing. That escalated the need to change. He was the most dramatic example of how discrimination was practiced on people of color.”
In 1963, spurred by Gov. Pat Brown and Bay Area lawmakers, the state Legislature passed a bill outlawing racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing. It needed all the support it could muster and generated the biggest, bitterest political brawl I’ve ever witnessed in Sacramento.
California voters overwhelmingly repealed the law the next year. But the repeal was declared unconstitutional by both the state and U.S. supreme courts.
Mays didn’t participate personally in that fight, but Brown certainly did.
A transplant from Jim Crow east Texas, Brown became a civil rights activist in San Francisco about the time Mays was arriving from New York. In fact, Brown was persistently snubbed by real estate agents when he tried to buy a house in 1961. He responded by leading a sit-in at a Realtor’s office.
The Mays incident occurred after he offered the asking price of $37,500 for a three-bedroom home in an upscale, tree-lined, all-white neighborhood. After he waited several days, his offer was turned down. The house remained on the market for the same price — but unavailable for the star ballplayer.
The San Francisco Chronicle got wind of the rejection and ran this banner at the top of Page 1: “WILLIE MAYS IS DENIED S.F. HOUSE–RACE ISSUE.” The headline on the story read: “Willie Mays is Refused S.F. House–Negro.”
“I didn’t figure I would have this much trouble trying to buy a place,” Mays told a TV reporter. “When I go looking for a house, I don’t worry about who’s living beside me.”
Unlike nervous white people of that era.
Mays gets the 3,000th hit of his career, a single to left, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco in 1970.
(Robert H. Houston / Associated Press)
San Francisco Mayor George Christopher — a moderate Republican, back when such a breed existed — offered to let Mays and his wife live temporarily at his home.
Ultimately, the homeowner backed down, despite being berated by neighbors. Mays moved in. And almost immediately someone threw a brick through a window.
Mays kept his mind on baseball and eventually became the pride of San Francisco.
As a bottom-tier sportswriter for United Press International, I was privileged to watch lots of Giants games at windy Candlestick Park in the early 1960s.
Mays’ statistics are phenomenal: a .301 career batting average, 660 home runs, 3,293 hits, 339 stolen bases, 12 Gold Glove awards in center field, 24 All-Star games.
In the 1961 All-Star Game at Candlestick that I helped cover, Mays doubled home the tying run in the 10th inning and then scored the winning run on a single by Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente as the National League edged the American League, 5-4.
But box scores and stats tell only part of the story of Mays’ greatness.
What I remember most about him was his playing with elation and exuberance — galloping around first base, always a threat to stretch a single into a double and a menace to steal second in any case. Full speed no matter the score. Cap flying.
In his long post-career, Mays provided a comfortable nostalgic link back to baseball’s exciting heyday — before blah analytics and emphasis on astronomical free agent salaries.
America can’t afford to lose such people. He didn’t hate. He brought cheer.
And — while there’s no stats on it — he assisted in beating housing discrimination.
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Crunch.
That was the sound of Houston Texans players colliding with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in the fourth quarter of their Wild Card Round matchup, causing him to lose the ball. Texans defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins picked the ball up and ran it to the end zone for what felt like the knockout blow even though there was still a lot of time left to play.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) loses possession of the ball while being tackled by Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
It was that type of game for both teams – a defensive struggle – as Houston put together a 30-6 victory. It was the franchise’s first road playoff victory.
There were big hits and little room for error. Houston had a 7-6 lead at halftime thanks to a touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Christian Kirk.
Even as the Texans turned the ball over three times between the first half and the third quarter, the Steelers could only muster up three points. Houston’s defensive prowess was on display on each snap as Rodgers was left with little to no time to make a decision.
When he did have time to throw, wide receivers like DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith and Calvin Austin III either dropped the ball or were just a hair off. Rodgers also had a few of his passes deflected.
Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) runs to the end zone for a touchdown while defended by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols (26) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
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Steelers fans let the team hear it with plenty of boos. Pittsburgh extended its playoff losing streak to seven games.
Texans running back Woody Marks ran for 100 yards for the first time in his career and scored a touchdown to really seal the win. Texans defensive back Calen Bullock returned an interception for a touchdown late in the game.
Stroud finished 21-of-32 with 250 passing yards and the touchdown pass. The Texans’ defense sacked Rodgers four times. Rankins was good for 1.5 sacks.
The Steelers almost had no offense throughout the game. The team was held to 175 yards and outscored 23-0 in the fourth quarter.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud throws during the first half of NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Houston will take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round.
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SACRAMENTO — Lakers coach JJ Redick was asked before Monday’s game against the Sacramento Kings how he could ensure his players wouldn’t underestimate a nine-win team.
“We don’t look at any game as a walkover,” Redick said.
Then the Kings walked all over the Lakers, taking a 20-point lead in the third quarter before winning 124-112 at Golden 1 Center.
Luka Doncic did his best to keep the Lakers in the game, scoring 42 points and collecting eight assists and seven rebounds. But he scored just two points in the fourth quarter and looked slower after having his left thigh wrapped at the end of the third quarter.
The Lakers got to within seven points in the fourth, but the Kings pulled away. DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points and Russell Westbrook finished with 22 points and seven assists for the Kings (10-30), who shot 59% from the field (48-82) and made 17 three-pointers.
LeBron James, who scored 22 points, wore a patch on his jersey commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season in the city where he played his first NBA game. It features a silhouette of his pregame chalk toss and three colored stripes that represents the three franchises he has played on — the Lakers, Cavaliers and Heat.
He will wear the patch for the remainder of the season. After each game, the patch will be removed from his jersey, dated and shipped to a Topps’ production facility to be authenticated and inserted into a pack of trading cards.
LeBron James wears a special patch on his jersey commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season.
(Justine Willard / Associated Press)
The Lakers (23-14) looked strong from the onset when Deandre Ayton won the jump ball and eventually threw a lob pass to James for a 2-0 Lakers lead, a play that has become something the Lakers have used several times to start a game.
James hit his first four shots and the Lakers took an 8-2 lead before everything started to crumble.
They were behind 59-43 late in the second quarter. They couldn’t stop Malik Monk, who had 18 points off the bench on six-for-eight shooting, including five for six from three-point range. Monk finished with 26 points.
After the hot start, James finished the first half going five for 12 from the field for 12 points. He finished the game shooting eight for 17.
Lakers star LeBron James, right, drives against Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa during the first half Monday. James finished with 22 points.
(Justine Willard / Associated Press)
The Lakers will play the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. When the Lakers played a back-to-back game last week, James sat out the second game. Will he do the same Tuesday?
“We’ll see how he feels in the morning,” Redick said.
Perhaps Rui Hachimura will make his return from right calf soreness. He was available to play Monday, but he sat out his seventh consecutive game.
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LSU Tigers football is reportedly set to land a coveted transfer on Monday to start Lane Kiffin’s tenure as head coach.
Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt will likely transfer to the Tigers and play in Baton Rouge next season, ESPN reported. Leavitt is one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal and reportedly visited Miami and Kentucky en route to his decision.
ASU Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) scrambles away from Houston Cougars defensive lineman Eddie Walls III (90) at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Oct. 25, 2025. (Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier graduated following the 2025 season and Michael Van Buren transferred to South Florida upon Kiffin’s arrival at LSU from Ole Miss. LSU was reportedly also targeting Washington’s Desmond Williams Jr. before he chose to stay with the Huskies.
Leavitt initially transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State following his freshman season in 2023. He became a star under Kenny Dillingham’s tutelage and had the Sun Devils in the College Football Playoff in 2024, only losing to the Texas Longhorns by eight points in the first round.
He only played in seven games in 2025, throwing for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns before he suffered a foot injury that required season-ending surgery.
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Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Mountain America Stadium on Oct. 18, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Upon Leavitt’s decision to enter the transfer portal, Dillingham had warm words for him.
“Big 12 champ, put his name on the map, smart/talented player! Going to succeed wherever he goes,” Dillingham wrote on X in December.
LSU had high expectations for the 2025 season. But the team was only able to muster seven wins. The team fired Brian Kelly in the middle of the year.
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, left, stands next to Louisiana State Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry, right, prior to the game against the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium on Dec. 27, 2025. (Maria Lysaker/Imagn Images)
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Kiffin joined LSU after Ole Miss won its Egg Bowl rivalry game against Mississippi State. The Rebels made the College Football Playoff and got to the semifinals.
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