Willie Mays celebrated his 84th birthday on Wednesday, and the timing couldn't have been better for Giants' fans. It gave the 41,060 in attendance something to cheer about during a 9-1 thumping by the San Diego Padres.
In the fifth inning, with Mays watching the game from home, the crowd sang "Happy Birthday." He wasn't at the park because he had a charity function to attend later in the day, according to the Giants.
Mays, by the way, played in 16 games on his birthday during his illustrious career. Two stand out. During the second game of a double-header against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1956, Mays stole four bases to lead a 5-4 victory. Six years later, in 1962, the Say Hey Kid homered, doubled and drove in two runs in a 7-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.