The greatest living ballplayer turned 85 on Friday, and on Friday night Willie Mays was honored at AT&T Park, near the statue built for him by the team to which he will forever be tied. Of the 2,992 games Mays played, all but 135 were with the Giants, because through changes of coasts, managers, general managers and bad and good finishes in the standings, the folks who ran the franchise maintained the wisdom to keep one of the best players of all-time.
The Braves did the same with Hank Aaron, as the Yankees did with Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle and the Red Sox with Ted Williams.