I have never met Willie Mays, but I do have a story.

In one of the last seasons the Reds played their games at the old Crosley Field, in the late 1960s, my friend Jack Mitchell and I drove down from Indy area to see a Reds game.

There was an empty seat next to us and a very drunk teenager, I would guess about 17, sat next to us.  He insisted that he would shake Willie Mays’ hand before the night was done.  We smiled, said, yeah, right, and he left.

Two innings later, we saw someone running out on the field.  Yes, it was that same drunk teen that sat next to us.  The San Francisco Giants were in the field, and Mays was in his usual position of Center Field.

As you might imagine, Reds security was running in pursuit, but behind the teen, who got to Mays.  At first, Mays wanted nothing to do with this kid and began to walk away.  But the boy pleaded with Mays for a handshake.  Mays saw the teen was about to be arrested anyway, so Mays extended his hand, shook the hand of the clearly inebriated kid, just before security tackled him and escorted him off the field.

I felt lucky just to see Willie Mays play in person.  He was one of a kind, a tremendous baseball talent.

Willie Mays has died at the age of 93.  No other player in the history of the game could hit, field and run the bases like Mays.  He was the full package.

If there is baseball in heaven, Willie Mays is the starting Center Fielder, hands down, the best there ever was.