It can be asked of many of baseball's greatest icons, but the question is very fitting as it applies to Willie Mays; how much more could "The Say Hey Kid" have done had he not lost two seasons of his career to military service? Mays was finishing up his rookie season, not yet 21 years old, when he learned that the United States Army had drafted him to serve in the Korean War. Before he left to join the Army, Mays played the first few weeks of the 1952 season with the Giants and was cheered by Brooklyn Dodgers fans, the Giants' archrivals, in his last game before reporting. Upon his return in 1954, Mays led the National League in batting average (.345) and triples (13) to earn the league's MVP award. Had he had the opportunity to play in those missed 250+ games, it was very likely that he would have finished his career with over 700 home runs with a very strong possibility of overtaking Babe Ruth for the all-time home run title. Many consider Mays the most complete baseball player in major league history, and while his 1951 Bowman rookie card is often overshadowed by the debut card of Mickey Mantle in the same series, it is nonetheless one of the most iconic pasteboards ever produced. The featured example is one of the rare gems of the baseball card hobby, an SGC 8 NM/MT example that offers near-perfect centering, no more than a degree or two shifted in any direction. The corners are of unquestionable NM/MT quality with the bottom two horizontal endpoints perhaps even reaching a half grade higher, and the stunning artist's image of Mays is particularly sharp, far superior to many others at this grade level that tend to have some mild blurring. The reverse is equally clean and perfectly framed, displaying strong red and blue print and further showcasing the amazing sharpness at all four corners. Mike Baker Authenticated (MBA) agrees as to the exceptional nature of this card, granting it "Silver Diamond" status. This is a museum-quality rookie card at the height of its exulted NM/MT status, ready to find a home in one of the world's most advanced collections!