Pelosi Blames Staffer For Embarrassing Flub, Posts McCovey Photo Celebrating Willie Mays’ Birthday
Nancy Pelosi made a shocking and quite embarrassing flub when she tried to honor Willie Mays on his 90th birthday. Mays is a Hall of Famer and played most of his career for Pelosi’s hometown team, the San Francisco Giants.
She took to Twitter posting: “Happy 90th Birthday to an all-American icon, Willie Mays. A trailblazing, record-breaking baseball player, civil rights leader, and champion for youth sports and well-being, Willie Mays is a civic legend and national treasure.”
Only one problem. The picture she posted in the Tweet was not of Willie Mays, to Pelosi’s horror (one would assume her social media person is not long for that job), but of another famous ex-Giant Willie McCovey.
She linked to a statement that rang a little hollow considering the flub but she did correct the record.
She wrote, “Happy 90th Birthday to an all-American icon, Willie Mays. A trailblazing, record-breaking baseball player, civil rights leader and champion for youth sports and well-being, Willie Mays is a civic legend and national treasure.
“How proud we were to see President Obama joyfully granting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. How proud we were to see Willie reveling in the San Francisco Giants’ three World Series victories and rallying fans at the ballpark.
“When we dedicated a statue for Willie Mays’ fellow Alabamian, civil rights hero Rosa Parks, in the Capitol of the United States, I invited Willie Mays as my guest.
“He could not attend but sent a letter to mark the occasion, and gave me permission to share his words.
“He said: ‘Most times, change doesn’t happen fast. Most times, it happens bit by bit, little by little, one person’s actions inspiring another. Rosa Parks simply did what was natural.
“And that simple act sparked outrage, and that outrage spread, and one person’s actions inspired change. We will try to remember to encourage change when it serves justice.’
“On his 90th birthday, we remember Willie Mays growing up with injustice and blazing a trail, first in the Negro Leagues, and then as a Hall of Famer in Major League Baseball with the Giants.
“We celebrate Willie Mays using his voice to advocate for civil rights, for opportunity for children and against domestic violence.
“We celebrate his lasting impact, through his Say Hey Foundation and the Willie Mays Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco, on the legions of youth scholars and athletes he has helped.
“And we celebrate Willie Mays for all he has done and continues to do to encourage change when it serves justice.”
“A staffer inadvertently selected the wrong photo for the tweet,” Team Pelosi said in a statement to KCBS Radio.
“The photo we wanted to use was of the Speaker and Willie Mays at Willie McCovey’s August 2018 wedding. The quickly deleted photo was the wrong photo from the right wedding. We apologize for the error.”
Happy 90th Birthday to an all-American icon, Willie Mays. A trailblazing, record-breaking baseball player, civil rights leader, and champion for youth sports and well-being, Willie Mays is a civic legend and national treasure. #SayHey90https://t.co/KLinpgJ0yL pic.twitter.com/hlpnU4nYpH
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 7, 2021