Giants fans create makeshift memorial at Mays statue at Oracle Park

Giants fans create makeshift memorial at Mays statue at Oracle Park originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants fans did their part to honor Willie Mays after Baseball Hall of Fame died at age 93 on Tuesday.

Shortly after the announcement of Mays’ passing, an impromptu memorial of flowers and messages to “The Say Hey Kid” gathered at the base of his statue outside Oracle Park as fans said goodbye for the Giants legend.

The Mays statue was unveiled outside the stadium on March 31, 2000, honoring one of the greatest players in MLB history and certainly the best to ever wear a Giants uniform. The statue is surrounded by 24 palm trees in honor of the number 24 May, and the square certainly has even more meaning for Bahia fans after the death of the legend.

A fan left a tearful note for Mays that said, in part: “Dear Willie, rest in peace. You are always our Say Hey Kid and forever Giant.”

Now, the location typically used as a gathering place for fans attending Giants games at Oracle Park will also give them the opportunity to reflect on the life and legacy of one of baseball’s most impactful players for years to come.