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Cincinnati OF Makes Unreal Willie Mays Catch in Center Field, Mascot Also Involved

What a play and what a camera shot.

Kyle Koster

Cincinnati's Donovan Ford with one of the plays of the year.
Cincinnati's Donovan Ford with one of the plays of the year. / Cincinnati Baseball on X

Xavier and Cincinnati played a wild college baseball game on Tuesday with the Musketeers emerging with a 7-6 victory after scoring three runs in the ninth inning. The contest happened to feature one of the greatest baseball catches one could ever hope to see as Bearcats center fielder Donovan Ford tracked down a blast destined for extra bases back by the fence a la Willie Mays.

It must be incredible to see someone do this in person. Once the initial shock wears off only one thing matters and it's making sure it ends up on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays. If ever something was made for that highlight feature, it's a guy going full Jim Edmonds out there. And justice was served as this unbelievable play got its moment in the sun.

Probably the only difference between this catch and what Mays did is that there was no hilarious mascot staring into the camera for a beat as the New York Giants superstar retreated back to rob Vic Wertz in the 1954 World Series. Whereas one was just spectacularly there and in the way on Tuesday.

But that, of course, is a happy accident as it adds some richness to the viewing experience.

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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