Once upon a time in the 1950s, Willie Mays had a beauty queen for a girlfriend. Willie loved the young lady, Miss Gladys Cofield, very much. As the Say Hey Kid traveled the country playing ball, he would receive letters and pictures from his love interest. Occasionally, Mays would respond with a letter of his own. It would appear Willie had a bit of a tough time with the writing part of it, so that is probably why he rarely wrote Cofield. Oh yeah, and he was kind of lacking in the game department too. Check out Willie Mays’ love letter to Gladys Cofield, courtesy of Deadspin. Click the image to enlarge the original letter. Check below the original letter for Deadspin’s transcript of it.
Willie Mays
New York Giants
Polo Grounds N.Y.Hello Baby,
I sorry I haven’t wrote for a while. Gee the picture was a fine one. I like it very much. I think your love is the really thing now. But at first I did think you could love me after the way you did me the first time I saw u.
All the boys saw the sweet picture & gee all like it just as much as I did. I think we would have a really good time when I come there if you just be good to me. I think you know the date we be there. [Illegible] you don’t know it May (6.)
I know you think I don’t love you because I don’t write much. You see I don’t like to write much so it take me a little while to ans. (Smile)
I wont you to sent me you phone # because it was on the picture & left it a home. I going to call you the day I get there. We might get there on the 5.
I know this is not much but you can ans this letter.
With All My Love
To GladysWillie Mays
N.Y.
Instant classic? I’d say so.
