The California legislature passed a resolution to name a portion of Interstate 80 in San Francisco after the late baseball legend Willie Mays.
The San Francisco Giants legend and baseball Hall of Famer died in June. He was 93.
The two-time Major League Baseball most valuable player and 24-time All-Star is regarded by many as one of the best baseball players ever.
"This is an absolute homerun," said Sen. Bill Dodd. D-Napa. "Willie Mays endeared himself to generations of San Francisco Giants fans, including myself, so naming a street near the ballpark after him is the perfect tribute. Now generations to come will travel along Willie Mays Highway on the way to watch the Giants while the all-time great in a No. 24 jersey is beaming down from heaven at a grateful city."
Senate Concurrent Resolution 169, brought forth by Dodd and Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, among others, will rename the portion of I-80 where the Bay Bridge enters the city near Oracle Park to the Willie Mays Highway.
Signs showing the change will be paid for by private investors, according to a news release.
"Willie Mays was a San Francisco original," Wiener said. "A peerless talent and unforgettable presence on the field, he dedicated untold hours to serving his community and empowering young people from humble beginnings to play sports. He broke barriers as one of the first Black players in Major League Baseball, empowering generations of athletes to follow their dreams. It's only right that we honor him publicly, in the community he loved, and I'm thrilled to present this resolution to do so."
Mays became a star for the New York Giants, leading the team to the 1954 World Series title. When the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, the city immediately fell in love with the "Say Hey Kid."
Mays tried to bring the Bay Area its first World Series title in 1962, but the team fell short in Game 7 against the New York Yankees.
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In his career, Mays won several awards. Among his many accomplishments, he was named Rookie of the Year and was a 12-time Gold Glove winner.
Mays retired in 1973 with the Mets and later returned to the Bay Area. In 1993, when Bonds signed with the Giants, Mays was again a fixture at the ballpark.
In 2015, then-President Barak Obama awarded Mays the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
"Willie Mays is a legend in our city," said Assemblymember Matt Haney, D-San Francisco. "He played his last game in 1973, but every kid in San Francisco still knows his name. Naming this highway after our local hero is a just one small way we can honor this giant."
