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Fans, family and a former presidents honor Willie Mays in San Francisco
A celebration of life was held for Willie Mays in San Francisco's Oracle Park on Monday. Those who knew Mays shared intimate moments of his life, while fans shared how he inspired them even from afar. KTVU's Christien Kafton reports from San Francisco.
San Francisco Giants and their fans are saying a final farewell to a legend.
Inside Oracle Park the Giants family gathered for a moving ceremony to honor Willie Mays.
Luminaries from the world of politics, including former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown shared their personal recollections.
"I'd known Willie, because Willie was not just a baseball player, Willie was a world changer for us in San Francisco," said Brown.
Former President Bill Clinton took the field as well. "Willie and I had gotten to know each other play golf, do all kinds of things," said President Clinton. "He was going to sit with me through the game. Which I hoped would at least impress my daughter. She was over the whole president thing and then it got rained out, the game got rained out."
From the world of sports, some of the biggest names in Giants history were on hand to honor the legend, including Filipe Alou, Dusty Baker and Mays' godson, Barry Bonds with an emotional tribute.
"But I didn't know all these years, turning 60 in July, what Willie was truly giving me," said Bonds. "Until now. Forever memories. Forever memories. Like I said about my father, Thank you. Thank you."
Fans showed up by the thousands, each one with a memory of the "Say Hey Kid."
"For me, I was eight years old, my dad took me to Candlestick it was 1960, the first game I saw, the first time I saw Willie Mays and going forward from there. We'd have pick up games in the yard. Everybody wanted to be somebody, everybody wanted to be Willie Mays," said TW Johnson.
"Because he represents San Francisco, he is the heart of San Francisco," said Lana Chan. "He is so much a part of our community, that I felt I had to come out to respect him."
Also on hand was Mays' family, receiving a flag in honor of his military service in the Korean War that put his career on hold for two years. But the sentiment that we heard over and over again, that so many fans felt like Willie Mays was a part of their extended family, and the Giants family, and that while he may be gone, his legacy lives on.