Willie Mays Gate

You are standing at the main entrance to Oracle Park, known as Willie Mays Plaza. The address itself is intentionally set as 24 Willie Mays Plaza, a direct tribute to the jersey number worn by the legendary center fielder. The plaza is anchored by a nine-foot-tall bronze statue of Mays captured in the middle of his signature follow-through swing. The stadium designers originally planned to depict his famous over-the-shoulder catch from the 1954 World Series. Mays personally intervened to request a different pose, joking that if the sculptor positioned him accurately for that play, his backside would be sticking out toward fans entering the ballpark. Surrounding the statue are twenty-four palm trees, another deliberate nod to his retired number. This location has become a local touchstone, with the phrase meet me at Willie serving as a common way for fans to coordinate their arrivals before a game.