Mays started to pray.
''Please don't let it be me. Don't make me come to bat now, God.''
In 1951, Willie Mays was a 20-year-old rookie. Later, Willie prayed that he would be the one who would bat or have to make a great defensive play.
Willie Mays was responsible for the fact that he was waiting on deck that day because without the play he made on Aug. 15, the Giants would not have tied the Dodgers for the pennant.
The Giants were hosting the Dodgers at the Polo Grounds. The teams were tied 1-1 in Brooklyn's half of the eighth inning.
With one out, Billy Cox, a fairly fast runner at that point in his career, was on third for Brooklyn, while pitcher Ralph Branca was on first. Carl Furillo was facing Jim Hearn.
...Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - MLB By Harold Friend