Presented is a very rare single-signed Willie Mays baseball from the 1960s, autographed while Mays was still an active player. The Hall of Fame center fielder first played professionally at 16 years old when he was a member of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League. He signed with the New York Giants organization in 1950, and after batting an astounding .477 for the Giants' Minneapolis Millers AAA farm team in the beginning of the 1951 season, Mays was called up to the Major Leagues. Mays was the National League Rookie of the Year in '51 when he helped the New York Giants clinch the NL pennant in the Miracle of Coogan's Bluff victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Mays spent most of '52 and all of '53 in the U.S. Army, and he rejoined the Giants in 1954. That season, Mays bust forth into a superstar as he led the NL in batting at .345, hit 41 home runs and 13 triples, and drove in 110 runs to become the NL MVP. Mays helped the Giants to the '54 World Championship, and especially noteworthy was his famous grab of a long belt from the Cleveland Indians' Vic Wertz in the '54 World Series. Known simply as "The Catch," the Mays grab was an over-the-shoulder catch of a 450-foot drive in deep center field in the 8th inning of Game 1 in a World Series that the Giants would sweep. Mays played 21 seasons with the New York/San Francisco Giants and finished his career with the New York Mets in '72 and '73. Willie was a 2-time NL MVP, a 24-time All-Star, a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, a 4-time NL stolen base leader, a 4-time NL Home Run leader, and a slugger who hit 660 home runs with a .302 lifetime average. Mays has signed and inscribed a Spalding Official National League ball (Giles). Writing in blue ink from a ballpoint pen, Mays wrote on a panel near the sweet spot, "To Anne/Best Wishes/Willie Mays." On the actual sweet spot, written in blue ink, is "A Good Friend." The signature and inscription are 6.5/10, while the baseball is around excellent, and it may have been game used. PSA LOA.