Willie Mays' son upset with auction of his father's prized possessions

"But these specific items, I've respectfully asked: Can these items be kept in a trust so that they don't wind up on a plastic surgeon's desk in LA? Can we do that? Or in a garage in Dubai? Can we do that?"

"Proceeds from this auction are supposed to benefit the Say Hey Foundation, a charity Willie founded in 2000. Michael said he hasn't heard anything from the charity about taking down these particular items so that they can go to places more befitting of his father's legacy. For instance, he wants to loan the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the Smithsonian in perpetuity, and wants some of the other items to go to the Giants."

Michael Mays is opposing a Sept. 27 live auction that lists prized personal possessions of his father, Willie Mays. He reports having no control over which items the Say Hey Foundation can sell and objects to auctioning major honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, honorary doctorates, plaques, proclamations, and the 1962 "Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat" crown. He requests those items be kept in a trust or loaned to institutions such as the Smithsonian or the San Francisco Giants. He does not object to sales of common memorabilia and says he has not heard from the foundation or the team.

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