432 looking for Willie Mays


This picture led me on a bit of a wild goose chase yesterday, looking for Willie Mays' house. He doesn't live there anymore, but did back in the 60s, when he was the star player for the Giants.

It wasn't the first home he owned in San Francisco. This house in St. Francis Wood was, until it had a note thrown through those big windows. 



Lucky for whoever threw it, Mr. Mays didn't pick it up and throw it back. Instead, he left. He moved out of the city, in fact. 

But even back in the day commuting must have been worse than dumb neighbors, because he returned a couple years later. I saw that picture online, and read a comment that indicated he lived on Edgehill Way. I'm not a huge baseball fan or anything, but I like history and seeing new neighborhoods, so yesterday I went for a walk.

I took the flattest route to get there, up and over Portola. This is a route I walked a bunch of times a couple years ago, when we were working on a project up here. Yesterday, I finally found the route back over the mountain I was searching for back then.

But first, I had to climb Knockash Hill. New to me! It would seem this "private road" was developed sometime in the 90s or early 2000s.
Fortunately there's pedestrian access.


The neighborhood church also predates the 90s. That 60s architecture was a clue I was maybe on the right path.

It's a steep hill. For people who live on the Eastern Side of the city, the hills stop in our imagination after Twin Peaks, but there are several more hills to the west.

The private road led to this little enclave of utterly forgettable townhomes over garages. If you ever want to build a building that feels like no-one lives there, start by making the street presence a big old garage.

Somehow by the end of the street, the name of the hill had changed from Knockash Hill to Edgehill Mountain. Sounds like a realtor back in the 60s had a big idea.

They had some pretty spectacular homes to sell. But who wants to live on Knockash Hill? 

It was pretty tony, although this picture doesn't really do it justice.

There was even a hint of old-school SF.

Although it was mostly the Mill Valley brown shingles and black trim look.

Plus crazy ass views. My phone can't handle the exposure, but this house has both Golden Gate and Farallones views. I've seen some awesome view houses in the city, but not sure I've seen any better than this.

There were a number of older homes, from the 30s and 40s at the top of the hill, but nothing that looked like the picture at top. I ran into another dog walker (ok, the only person I saw outside) and asked which house was Willie Mays house. He looked at me like I was a joker, and said he'd never heard that, and he'd have to look into it.

He was right. 

I was on the wrong hill.

He lived over on Forest Hill proper.

Somewhere over there.

Guess that's another walk in the making. Happy 90th birthday, Mr. Mays!


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