Margherite Wendell Chapman’s marriage with the MLB legend Willie Mays lasted only for five years before they parted ways. Apparently, Willie Mays was her third husband as she had been married twice before her union with the former baseball center fielder.
Also referred to as Marti Marciano, Margherite was often described as a woman with many talents. She worked with both Muhammed Ali and Joe Louis. She also worked as a consultant to some of the stars she hosted. During her lifetime, she reportedly worked for quite a number of entertainers.
Marguerite’s husband spent most of 22-season Major League Baseball (MLB) playing for the New York/San Francisco Giants and later New York Mets. He is said to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time with so many achievements to show for it.
Margherite Wendell Chapman and Willie Mays Divorced after Five Years of Marriage
In 1959, the baseball player married Margherite Wendell Chapman but it was not long before rumors about them being happy stayed flying around.
During an interview on September 23, 1958, the former couple revealed they were happy with each other and claimed they were victims of ‘malicious gossip’.
While the two were still married, they decided to adopt a son and they named him Michael Mays. The couple lived in San Francisco Sherwood Forest neighborhood. There are rumors that Margherite was not happy staying in San Francisco even though the people there loved her. She not only slam the allegations but also explained that there could be someone who was trying really hard to ruin her reputation around the neighborhood.
A few years after the interview with her husband in 1959, Chapman and Mays started having marital troubles so they both decided to separate and later file for divorce.
Before the marriage ended, they had two children, Michael and Wilmia together.
Here are Other Facts About Willie Mays’s Ex-wife Margherite Wendell Chapman
1. Margherite Wendell Chapman was born in Missouri
Scarlett Margherite Wendell better known as Margherite Wendell Chapman or Margherite Mays was later known as Marti Marciano in her later years. She was born to her parents Sadie and Frank Wendell on November 13, 1925, in St. Louis Missouri.
2. Margherite Wendell Chapman’s adopted son was arrested for gun and drug possession charges
Margherite and Willie’s adopted son Michael has had troubles with the police in the past. It was reported that he was arrested at his New York apartment after the police responded to a call about an emotionally disturbed person. The police report mentioned that two guns were found in his possession and a small amount of marijuana in his apartment. Apparently, Michael Mays had an argument with his girlfriend before the police arrived. He was reportedly suffering from Hodgkin’s disease a form of lymphatic cancer.
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3. Margherite’s First Husband was a Singer
In 1950, Margherite reportedly married the lead singer of the renowned R&B/doo-wop group The Drifters, Bill Kinney. At that time, she was the personal manager of the group. Regarding her other partners, their names are not available.
4. Her Ex-husband Lost his Wife in 2013
While nothing was heard of Margherite after the divorce, her ex-husband found love in the arms of a woman named Mae Louise Allen ten years later. Mae Louise Allen was a child-welfare worker in San Francisco.
The 92-year-old former baseball player met Mae in New York and started dating almost immediately. They were married for more than four decades.
In 1997, Willie May’s wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She battled with it until April 19, 2013, when she died. Mays reportedly took care of his wife devotedly before she passed at the age of 74.
5. Margherite Wendell Reportedly Built Stars During Her Lifetime
According to reports, Willie Mays’s ex-wife had an amazing career. She reportedly brought the renowned singer, Gladys Knight to New York to record for Buddha Records. She also hosted Knight and the Pips in her home where she styled and coached them on how to interview and behave.
As a consultant to stars, she reportedly worked for Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali, and later she partnered with Ruth Bowen to develop the careers of the iconic soul band the Isley Brothers.
Her son Michael reveals she relocated to San Antonio in 1978 and worked as a buyer for high-profile women’s boutiques before she retired to Fort Lauderdale
6. Where is She Now?
On July 20, 2010, Margherite reportedly died in her Fort Lauderdale home at the age of 84. At the time of her death, she was survived by her son Michael, grandsons: Raymond and Lee, her brother Charles and Sister Annabelle, and her dog Stoli. She was also pre-deceased by her only daughter Wilmia.
The cause of her death was not revealed but her family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations in her name were to be sent to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America or the American Cancer Society.
7. Her Ex-husband Willie Mays is said to be the Oldest Baseball Hall of Famer Alive
Willie Mays became the oldest Hall of Famer alive after Tommy Lasorda passed in January 2021. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979. Aside from that, he also has quite a number of special honors.
He was named the World Series MVP Award the Willie Mays World Series MVP Award. He won his first of 12 Gold Glove Awards in 1957.
On July 14, 2009, he accompanied Barack Obama to St. Louis aboard Air Force One for that year’s All-Star Game. Years later, Obama honored Mays with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
He has made many appearances on film and television as well. He has appeared in shows such as The Dating Game and Bewitched.
