was long recognized to have joined the 3,000-Hit Club when he singled off Expos pitcher Mike Wegener on July 18, 1970. However, at just 17 years of age in 1948, Mays collected 10 hits in 13 games with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League. Today, this and certain other Negro Leagues are recognized as major leagues, meaning the "Say Hey Kid" actually reached the 3,000-hit plateau 10 hits earlier, when he connected for a single on July 3, 1970.
As research on the Negro Leagues continues, more hits may be uncovered for Mays, meaning the date of his 3,000th hit could change once again. While there may be a question of when it happened, there is no doubt that Mays reached 3,000 big league hits and is one of baseball's all-time greats.
| Willie Mays' 3,000th Hit | |
| Date: July 3, 1970 | Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco |
| Club: San Francisco (NL) | Opponent: Los Angeles (NL) |
| Pitcher: Don Sutton | Hit: Single |
| Total career hits: 3,293 | |
The 3,000-Hit Club | Online
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