World Series: Willie Mays to throw out first pitch

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The San Francisco Giants will honor arguably the greatest player in franchise history Wednesday, when Hall of Famer Willie Mays throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers.

Mays will be accompanied by a cast of Giants Hall of Famers, including Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Monte Irvin, Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry.

The Giants have honored Mays with a statue in front of AT&T Park. The team has designated the street address of the ballpark as 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

For Game 2, the ceremonial first pitches will feature the daughters of Bobby Thomson, who hit ‘The Shot Heard ‘Round the World,’ the home run that prompted Russ Hodges to shout out perhaps the most famous call in baseball broadcasting history, on Oct. 3, 1951: ‘The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!’

-- Bill Shaikin in San Francisco