The murky origin of Willie Mays’ ‘Say Hey Kid’ nickname

Willie Mays was well known as “The Say Hey Kid,” but other than on a 1954 record that served to promote his burgeoning legend, Mays never actually uttered the words “say hey” in public.

There is some dispute about how Mays, who died Tuesday at 93 years old, actually got the nickname. Most Mays historians credit Barney Kremenko, a reporter for the New York Journal American, with giving Mays his most famous nickname. Kremenko noticed Mays had a habit of greeting people with “hey” as opposed to “hello” or “hi.”

Mays used a high-pitched “hey” with most people he met because he was terrible at remembering names. Hence, Kremenko noticed how often Mays would say “hey” and dubbed him “The Say Hey Kid.”

It’s that version of the nickname’s origin that is recognized in Mays’ own authorized biography written by James L. Hirsch and published in 2010.

But another version of the nickname’s genesis is that famed New York sportswriter Jimmy Cannon popularized it when Mays arrived in the minors.

“You see a guy, you say, ‘Hey, man. Say hey, man,’” Mays reportedly told Cannon. “Ted (Williams) was the ‘Splinter’. Joe (DiMaggio) was ‘Joltin’ Joe’. Stan (Musial) was ‘The Man’. I guess I hit a few home runs, and they said there goes the ‘Say Hey Kid.’”

Whichever version is correct, the Mays biography states that the nickname was misunderstood. Mays did chant the words “say hey” for a record by a vocal group called the Treniers, but according to Hirsch’s biography, Mays told him he never used the phrase in any conversation.

In 1970, it was lamented in a Sports Illustrated article that Mays had not uttered “say hey” in more than 15 years. Mays himself made no effort to set the record straight.

That said, Mays approved of the nickname and even named his charity for underprivileged and disadvantaged children “The Say Hey Foundation.”

Mays had a number of nicknames in addition to “The Say Hey Kid.” Early in his career, he was called “Willie The Wonder,” “The Amazin’ Mays” and “the Minneapolis Marvel.” Teammates often simply called Mays “Buck” or “Cap,” short for captain.

Carl Steward is a former sportswriter for the Bay Area News Group. Follow him on Twitter/X at twitter.com/stewardsfolly.