If Your Birthday is May 5th...

...you share it with one of the American League's rising young pitchers, the Mariners righthander Logan Gilbert.  A 13-game winner a year ago as Seattle ended what had been MLB's longest post-season, drought, the Florida native is one of several Stetson Universal products in the majors today -- along with the Rangers' Jacob deGrom and the Red Sox' Corey Kluber. 


Saturday (May 6th)'s birthday star can lay claim to being the Greatest Living Major Leaguer. Beloved by fans in both San Francisco and New York, Willie Mays crushed 660 lifetime home runs, batted a lifetime .302 and earned 12 Gold Gloves.  
Let's not forgot one of the most memorable World Series catches ever, that over-the-shoulder grab of Vic Wertz' soaring fly ball in the deepest reaches of center field at the Polo Grounds in the opening game of the 1954 fall classic. You still marvel at it every time you see the replay.  Or his 50 home run seasons 10 years apart, in 1955 and '65 -- the only player with a pair of such bookends. And of course, he's the first name in the title of the iconic Terry Cashman song "Willie, Mickey and Duke." #24 on his back and a record 24 All Star Games played. Need I say more?
This statue of Willie greets you just outside the main entrance of what's now Oracle Park.

 

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