Mays and another baseball legend and Hall of Famer, the late Yogi Berra, were among the 17 recipients of the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Larry Berra, the oldest Berra son, accepted the medal on his father's behalf.
Mays and Berra were honored alongside the likes of Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand and Stephen Sondheim, receiving an award "presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors," according to the White House website.