CLEVELAND — Guardians manager Stephen Vogt grew up hearing his father, Randy, share stories about the legendary baseball prowess of Hall of Famer Willie Mays .
And as a San Francisco Giants player in 2019, Vogt met Mays .
Vogt said Mays "was a god" to him. It's why Vogt exhaled for a moment Tuesday night while reflecting on Mays dying earlier in the day at the age of 93. The Giants announced the news during the Guardians' 8-5 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field.
"He's my dad's favorite player, so he talked to me a lot about Willie as a kid, and then I was fortunate enough to meet him when I played for the Giants," Vogt said. "One of the greatest players to ever play our game, maybe arguably the best, and that's too bad. It's a sad day."
Vogt, 39, said it was "surreal" to meet Mays.
"It was just this unfathomable figure," Vogt said. "You never really saw him on TV. You see highlights. But just really cool to meet him and get a chance to chat with him briefly."
Mays was a two-time Most Valuable Player, 24-time All-Star and 12-time Gold Glove Award winner. He was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Baseball legend Willie Mays dies at 93: MLB mourns the loss of the 'Say Hey Kid'
Baseball enthusiasts know Mays has a famous connection to Cleveland. "The Catch" he made for the New York Giants in the 1954 World Series against visiting Cleveland is among the sport's most recognizable plays of all time. The Giants defeated Cleveland in four games, and in commemoration of Mays' running basket catch, the World Series MVP Award was named in his honor in 2017.
"He did everything right," Vogt said. "He hit for power, he hit for average, great outfielder, great base stealer, just played the game hard. He could do anything and just one of the greatest of all time. You hear your old man talking about how great he was and my grandfather as well."
Guardians standout left fielder Steven Kwan hails from the San Francisco Bay Area. As a youngster, the Giants were Kwan's favorite team, so he admired what Mays represented.
"He was kind of the face of the Giants," Kwan said. "It was kind of him and Barry Bonds, and they'd always kind of be together. You'd see them talking game. Just wish you could be a fly on the wall for those conversations."
More Guardians coverage: Cleveland falls to Seattle Mariners in series opener
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians manager Stephen Vogt reflects on Willie Mays' death
