Mays wins second NL MVP 11 years after first
But by 1965, 10 seasons had come and gone since Mays won the National League’s MVP. And during those 10 seasons, no one was more consistently excellent than the Giants center fielder.
“I felt I made more of a contribution to the team this year than in 1954 because I was young then,” said Mays, whose Giants finished two games behind the Dodgers in the NL pennant race in 1965 with a record of 95-67. “Leo Durocher was the manager (in 1954), and he did most of the talking. I’m a veteran now, and I can help other players.”
For the 34-year-old Mays, the 1965 campaign would be his last as a .300 hitter (for a total of 10 seasons) and his last scoring at least 100 runs (12 seasons). But he would continue to be a productive player for many years, helping the Giants win the 1971 NL West title as a 40-year-old regular in center field.
He would retire following the 1973 campaign – having played his last year-and-a-half with the Mets – with a .302 batting average, 660 home runs, 2,062 runs scored, 1,903 RBI, 3,283 hits, 12 Gold Glove Awards and 24 All-Star Game selections.
“I don’t believe in goals,” Mays told the AP after winning his second MVP. “You start worrying about goals and you don’t do anything for the team. You play well and you get the records anyway.”
Craig Muder is the director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
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