The first of many for Willie Mays

Willie Mays in 1951

After starting his career in the majors in a dreadful 0-for-12 skid in three games against the Phillies in Philadelphia – say, hey, no one is perfect – the great Willie Mays hits the first of his 660 career homers 73 years ago today at the New York’s hallowed Polo Grounds.

Warren Spahn

The 20-year-old Mays, batting third for the New York Giants, ends his slump by driving a 3-1 curveball from the Boston Braves’ Warren Spahn 450 feet onto the roof above left field.

Mays’ homer is one of just seven hits Spahn allows that day in beating the Giants 4-1 in a Monday night game before a crowd of 23,101.

Mays faces Spahn another 252 times during the pair’s Hall of Fame careers and hits 17 more homers off of Spahn, the most homers Mays hits off any pitcher during his 23 seasons in the majors.

As for Spahn, the 18 homers he gives up to Mays are the most anyone hits off of him during his 21-year career.

“He was something like 0-for-21 the first time I saw him,” Spahn wryly later says with some embellishment. “His first major league hit was a home run off me, and I’ll never forgive myself. We might have gotten rid of Willie forever if I’d only struck him out.”