Willie Mays spent more than 21 seasons of his MLB career with the Giants, which included the team's move from New York to San Francisco. But in the twilight of Mays's career, the club sent its aging star centerfielder back to the east coast in a trade with the Mets on May 11, 1972.
At 41 years old, Mays's performance was declining and he saw less time in the Giants' starting lineup despite his $165,000 salary. His numbers had dropped, and he started the season hitting .184 in 19 games with San Francisco. However, the Mets showed interested in Mays because of his star status, and the Giants saw the opportunity for a trade.