The first of many

Willie Mays in 1951

After starting his career in the majors in a dreadful 0-for-12 skid in three games against the Phillies in Philadelphia – say, hey, no one is perfect – the great Willie Mays hits the first of his 660 career homers 75 years ago today at New York’s hallowed Polo Grounds. ‍

The 20-year-old Mays, batting third for the New York Giants, ends his slump by driving a 3-1 curveball from the Boston Braves’ Warren Spahn 450 feet onto the roof above left field.

Mays’ homer is one of just seven hits Spahn allows that day while beating the Giants 4-1 in a Monday night game before a crowd of 23,101.

Mays faces Spahn another 252 times during the pair’s Hall of Fame careers and hits 17 more homers off Spahn, the most homers Mays hits against any pitcher during his 23 seasons in the majors.

As for Spahn, the 18 homers he gives up to Mays are the most anyone hits off him during his 21-year career.

“He was something like 0-for-21 the first time I saw him,” Spahn later says with some wry embellishment.

“His first major league hit was a home run off me, and I’ll never forgive myself. We might have gotten rid of Willie forever if I’d only struck him out.”

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