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.
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