Former Home of Willie Mays

In November 1957, baseball legend Willie Mays and his wife Marghuerite attempted to purchase a brand-new home on Miraloma Drive in the Sherwood Forest neighborhood. Despite offering the full cash asking price for the three-bedroom brick-and-redwood house, the developer initially rejected the deal after facing intense pressure from local neighbors who did not want a Black family living in their area. This public incident sparked national headlines and forced the city to confront the reality of its own housing discrimination, which was pervasive even in supposedly progressive neighborhoods. The ordeal concluded only after San Francisco Mayor George Christopher intervened to pressure the developer to honor the sale. While Mays eventually moved in, the welcome he received was far from warm, serving as a stark reminder of the racial barriers that existed in the city even for its most celebrated icons.