The Giants don’t have to win a World Series for Willie Mays to drop by the White House and say hello to President Obama. The Say Hey Kid had an especially memorable visit on Tuesday.
Mays was among 17 individuals on Tuesday who were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in a ceremony in the East Room. Yankees catcher Yogi Berra was a posthumous honoree. The honor has been bestowed on 11 baseball players; Ernie Banks was the last recipient, in 2013.
Mays, 84, rose from his chair and took off his Giants cap with the script G logo, and President Obama smiled as he clasped the ribbon around his neck.