Some of the most storied items from Willie Mays’ legendary life and baseball career are now on public display in San Francisco before they go up for auction this weekend.
Mays’ personal collection, including his two National League MVP awards and his 1954 World Series ring, will be auctioned off Saturday in San Francisco at the King Street Warehouse event space adjacent to Oracle Park. Fans can preview the items each day from now until the auction. Public viewing is open until 7 p.m. PT on Monday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday through Friday.
The items can be viewed on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. PT before the auction begins at 10:30 a.m.
Other highlights from Mays’ incredible career that will be up for auction include his 1963 Gold Glove Award, his 1954 NL batting champion silver bat, and his National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ring from 1979. Mays’ custom-made 1977 Stutz Blackhawk car is among some of the non-baseball items that will be available.
Per Mays’ wishes, all proceeds from the auction will go to the Say Hey! Foundation, which Mays founded in 2000 and offers education, training, health services and more to underprivileged children.
“For all of his extraordinary achievements as a baseball player, Willie Mays wanted his enduring legacy to be helping children,” Jeff Bleich, Mays’ friend and chair of the Say Hey! Foundation, stated in a press release in July. “Willie believed that every child deserves the chance to make the most of their talents.”
Bleich added that Mays had one piece of instruction to Dave Hunt at Hunt Auctions, which is presenting the event: “Make this the best auction ever to help those kids.”
Arguably the best player in baseball history, Mays was a 24-time All-Star and one of only four MLB players to record at least 600 home runs and 3,000 hits. He passed away on June 18, 2024, at the age of 93.
Online pre-bidding for the live auction is currently being held at this link until 7 p.m. PT on Friday. Online bidding and in-person bidding will resume at 10:30 a.m. PT on Saturday.
An online-only offering for hundreds of additional items from Mays’ collection will follow on Sunday.
