"The waters parted" - Bob Costas recalls Willie Mays' reverence in clubhouses across MLB teams

The baseball community is in mourning as one of the greatest players of all time, Willie Mays, died Tuesday. The San Francisco Giants legend passed away at 93 years old from heart failure, ending the life of one of the most beloved and respected players in MLB history.

@MLBNetwork

"24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glover, 2-time MVP, World Series champion, Hall of Famer. MLB Network mourns the passing of one of our game’s most iconic figures, Willie Mays.

A 24-time All-Star, Willie Mays was an incredible force at the plate and one of the best defensive outfielders in league history. During his 23-year MLB career, Mays racked up an impressive 660 home runs, 3,293 hits, and 1,909 RBIs while also maintaining an outstanding .301 batting average.

His stature around the game of baseball was larger than life, as even though Mays is considered one of the best players in MLB history, he had the reputation of being incredibly approachable. Although he was a friendly face, who remained present around baseball well into his final days, Mays' mere presence commanded respect.

"The waters parted" when Willie Mays walked into a big league clubhouse, says Bob Costas" - @FoulTerritoryTV

"The waters parted when Willie walked into a clubhouse," legendary commentator Bob Kostas said on a recent episode of Foul Territory. "The reverence that other players, his contemporaries and players today had for him was palpable," Costas continued, saying that even the likes of Mike Trout and Barry Bonds were in awe of the Giants icon.

Willie Mays received a tremendous outpour from fans and friends following his passing

After news broke that Mays had passed away, social media became flooded with well-wishes, memories, honors, and tributes. The San Francisco Giants superstar touched thousands of lives throughout his career, from the casual fan to baseball icons such as Barry Bonds and Derek Jeter.

"Barry Bonds pays tribute to his godfather, Willie Mays" - @MLB

Mays also received a touching tribute from former President of the United States Barack Obama. The Hall of Famer and former president had a friendship built on respect as Mays often shared how proud he was that Obama became the first African-American president. He said that he cried on the night that Obama won the election because of how historic the moment was.