The Giants dedicate 'Willie Mays Highway' to honor the baseball legend

A stretch of highway in the Bay area is now named after the Giants icon and one of the greatest players to ever step on a diamond

Jun 24, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; A tribute to Willie Mays at Willie Mays plaza before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

On Wednesday, May 6, it was announced that a portion of Interstate Highway 80 in San Francisco has officially been renamed to honor the legacy of the legendary Giant, Willie Mays. To add the cherry on top of such a positive move, the news was released on what would have been The Say Hey Kid's 95th birthday.

Mays passed away just two years ago, on June 18, 2024, leaving behind an untouchable baseball legacy. To list all of his accolades would be thicker than a 1960s New York phone book, as he went from being the 1951 NL Rookie of the Year to his retirement in 1973. In that long career, he was a 24-time All-Star and finished his career with a .301 career batting average, over 3200 hits, 660 home runs, and 1909 RBI.

When Mays was eligible for the Hall of Fame, he seemed like slam dunk to be a unanimous selection. Instead, he was elected with around 94% of the vote, leading sportswriter Dick Young to famously quip, "If Jesus Christ were to show up with his old baseball glove, some guys wouldn't vote for him".

Willie Mays’ legacy now has a permanent place on the map.

A portion of I-80 near Oracle Park has officially been designated the Willie Mays Highway, honoring a Giants legend whose impact goes far beyond the game. pic.twitter.com/CqlAZUApRm

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) May 6, 2026

“Willie Mays was a San Francisco original,” Wednesday's news release stated. “He dedicated untold hours to serving his community and empowering young people from humble beginnings to play sports. He broke barriers as one of the first Black players in Major League Baseball, empowering generations of athletes to follow their dreams.”

“What an incredibly special way to honor Willie’s legacy,” said Larry Baer, president and chief executive officer of the Giants. “For generations, this portion of I-80 on the Bay Bridge has carried Giants fans into San Francisco, and now it will forever carry Willie’s name — a lasting reminder of the joy and inspiration he brought to this city.”

Memories of Mays are iconic

On the late Hall of Famer’s birthday, the San Francisco Giants and the Say Hey Foundation, along with several state senators, announced that a stretch of I-80 is now named in honor of Willie Mays. https://t.co/v31f99op9t

— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) May 6, 2026

Nicknamed “The Say Hey Kid,” Willie Mays combined power, speed, defense, and charisma in a way baseball had rarely seen before. His over-the-shoulder catch during the 1954 World Series remains one of the most iconic defensive plays in sports history.

Mays also helped bridge generations of baseball, becoming one of the sport’s most beloved ambassadors during the early stages of the integration era. The success of standouts like Mays and his contemporary, Hank Aaron, helped open doors for future African-American ballplayers.

Many historians, players, and fans still consider Mays to be the greatest all-around player in MLB history, and it's hard to argue against that. Number 24's influence on the game extended beyond just the diamond, as he set an all-around standard for excellence still appreciated by generations of fans and future stars alike.