Willie Mays buys a house in Sherwood Forest, San Francisco

KPIX Eyewitness News report from November 14th 1957 featuring an interview by reporter Fort Pearson with New York Giants baseball star Willie Mays, who is relocating with the team to San Francisco next year. Mays had recently put in an offer to buy a home at 175 Miraloma Drive in the Sherwood Forest neighborhood of San Francisco, which the owner (Walter A. Gnesdiloff) initially accepted. Neighbors complained that if an African American family moved into the area, house prices would fall, so Gnesdiloff refused to proceed. However, in the face of adverse publicity over his decision, Gnesdiloff agreed to sell at the original price of $37,500. Mays explains to Pearson that: "It was a disappointment to me because I didn't figure I would have this much trouble trying to buy a place. That's why when I go looking for a house, I don't worry about who living besides me." Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.

Note: this 16mm film print was re-transferred in 4K (4096 x 2970) using a Lasergraphics ScanStation film scanner, in September 2021. Film shrinkage was measured in Sept. 2021 at 0.3%.