Giants' Logan Webb Shares His Touching Reaction to Willie Mays's Death While on Mound

Patrick Andres | Jun 19, 2024

Jun 18, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb (62) throws the ball against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday, the baseball world was rocked by the death of Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Mays—the game's consensus greatest living player—at the age of 93.

In very few forums did that news hit harder than in the San Francisco Giants' clubhouse, given Mays's status as the Giants' greatest player and ambassador. Chief among San Francisco players grieving the loss of Mays was pitcher Logan Webb, who was on the mound Tuesdy when the news was announced over Wrigley Field's public address system.

"It was hard at first. I took my hat off and I was looking at the scoreboard and just thinking about him," Webb told reporters via Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. "I kind of looked at the umpire and I was like, 'I think you need to stop the clock.' I needed to take a moment to think about it and be prideful for the jersey I was wearing, the hat I was wearing, knowing Willie did the same."

Logan Webb said he found out about Willie Mays' passing when the Cubs announced it to the crowd as he was taking the mound to pitch the sixth inning. pic.twitter.com/7ulTMJ9tVu

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) June 19, 2024

Mays played 23 years in the major leagues—one with the Birmingham Black Barons, 21 with the Giants, and two with the New York Mets. He slashed .301/.384/.557 lifetime with 660 home runs and 1,909 RBIs, numbers that belied his status as a cultural symbol of baseball's golden age.

Webb and San Francisco fell 5-2 to the Chicago Cubs Tuesday, but the game became almost academic in the wake of an icon's death.