You can’t have a blog like this one and not note the passing of one of the finest sportsmen in human history: Willie Mays.

Friday on Math and Musings you’ll hear me mention the Say Hey Kid, not because he died but because I just happened to mention him. (The episode was recorded before we knew of his death.) His last professional game was more than 50 years ago, though somehow I probably thought of him three or four times a week.

So now among other things the “greatest living ballplayer” tag is up for grabs. It’s up for pleasant debate, and somehow we’ll come up with a more or less unanimous choice.

Griffey? Bonds? Other?

One thing I know.

It’ll be someone I saw play.

I’ve now reached the age where I can say I saw the greatest.

I could take this a few different ways.

But right now all I can think is, I wish I’d seen Willie Mays.

R.I.P.