A stretch of Interstate 80 in San Francisco will be named after Giants legend Willie Mays after the California Legislature approved a resolution last week.
Lawmakers approved Senate Resolution 169 by state Sens. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), which names a portion of the road after the baseball hall of famer “Willie Mays Highway.” who died in June at the age of 93. It entered the legislature last monthDodd said the event had many co-sponsors, including fans of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.
“This is an absolute homerun,” Dodd said in a statement Sunday. “Willie Mays has been beloved by generations of San Francisco Giants fans, including myself, so to have streets named after him is a wonderful honor.”
Wiener said, “He broke barriers as one of the first black players in Major League Baseball, empowering a generation of athletes to follow their dreams. It’s only right that we honor him publicly, in the community he loved, and I’m thrilled to introduce this resolution.” to do that.”
Known as the “Say Hey Kid,” Mays is widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time. In 23 seasons in the major leagues, most with the New York and San Francisco Giants, Mays was named a 24-time All-Star and won the 1954 World Series with the Giants.
Beginning his career in the Alabama Negro Leagues, Mays was among the first black players to be called up to the majors, being named the NL Rookie of the Year in 1951. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 and was honored. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.
According to Dodd’s office, the stretch of road to be named includes where the Bay Bridge enters San Francisco near Oracle Park. The signs would be paid for with private funding.
“Now generations to come will travel the Willie Mae Highway to watch the Giants as the all-time great No. 24 jersey falls from the heavens to a grateful city,” Dodd said.
