The date was August 15, 1951. The New York Giants, who trailed the Brooklyn Dodgers by 11 ½ game, were in the midst of what would become a sixteen game winning streak. The greatest rivals in baseball history were playing the second game of a crucial three game series at the Polo Grounds. The game was 1-1 in the top 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. There was only one out. Carl Furillo, one of baseball's most underrated players was the batter, facing the New York's big right hander Jim Hearn. The outfielders were playing Furillo to pull, with left fielder Monte Irvin shaded toward the left field line, right fielder Don Mueller playing well off the line in right, and Willie Howard Mays Jr. moved over to left center field.
Hearn went into the stretch, checked the runners at first and third and delivered. Furillo hit a fly ball to right center field that to all eyes appeared would be deep enough to score Cox with the lead run. Mays broke to his left and running at full speed, made the catch, a catch that most good centerfielders would make, but Mays had to run towards the right field foul line to make the catch so he was moving away from home plate. If he stopped running to set himself for the throw home there was no chance to throw out the runner.
Mays didn't break stride. He planted his left foot, made a complete whirling pivot on the dead run as if he were a discus thrower, and fired a fantastic throw home. The ball came flying toward the plate. First baseman Whitey Lockman, the cut off man, let the throw go through, a very wise decision. Catcher Wes Westrum caught the throw belt high and tagged out the sliding, incredulous Cox.
The crowd's initial reaction was silence. No one believe what he saw. Then reality set in and there was a tremendous roar. Fans had seen one of the greatest plays of all time. It wasn't one of the greatest CATCHES of all times. It was one of the greatest PLAYS of all time. Hundreds of players could have caught the ball but few if any players could have caught the ball and then made the throw home Mays made to get the runner.
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