Arroyo call-up evokes that of another Giants rookie

The call-up of 21-year-old Christian Arroyo on Monday had a familiar ring, if you know your Giants’ ancient history.

Sixty-six years ago, the New York Giants called up a 20year-old phenom from Triple-A. It worked out well.

I’m not saying Arroyo will be the next Willie Mays, but if he has half the talent and baseball genius of the Say Hey Kid, Arroyo will be a sensation.

The Giants called up Mays from the Minneapolis Millers on May 24, 1951. In 35 games with the Millers, Mays was hitting .477. Manager Leo Durocher had wanted Mays on the Giants’ Opening Day roster but was overruled by team owner Horace Stoneham. Durocher finally got his way after the Giants opened slowly. When Mays arrived, the Giants were 17-19, in fifth place in the National League, 4½ games back.

Mays was watching a movie in Sioux City, Iowa, when a theater employee announced, “If there is a Willie Mays here, call your manager.”

When Arroyo got the call, he was batting .446 for the Sacramento River Cats. It was a desperation call-up. The Giants were in fifth place, 4½ games out of first. The Giants’ stated plan had been to keep Arroyo in the minors for most of the season. I wonder whether they consulted Mays.

Mays, when called up, had just 116 minor-league games under his belt, but also logged some playing time in the Negro Leagues. Arroyo played 359 minor-league games.

Mays felt he wasn’t ready. From Iowa, he told Durocher over the phone, “I’m not coming.”

Durocher asked Mays what he was hitting. Mays said .477.

“Well,” said Durocher, “do you think you could hit twof—ing-fifty-five for me?”

“Sure,” Mays said, losing the debate.

Mays went 0-for-12 before his first hit, a screaming homer off future Hall of Famer Warren Spahn at the Polo Grounds.

Durocher described the homer thusly: “I never saw a f—ing ball leave a f—ing park so f—ing fast in my f—ing life.”

Arroyo’s first hit was a line single off future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw. Bruce Bochy, lacking Durocher’s poetry skills, called it a nice hit.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle Christian Arroyo runs out a grounder in the seventh inning of his first Giants game, against the Dodgers on Monday at AT&T Park. Like Willie Mays, Arroyo went hitless in his MLB debut.

Associated Press file 1951 Willie Mays is seen before he played his first game in the majors, on May 25, 1951, with the New York Giants.