Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, taking in the tributes displayed to honor Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers. Under his arm, he clutched a cherished memory: a picture from 2004 of Mays holding Stone's then 10-month-old daughter Haley, who was dressed in San Francisco Giants gear. In Mays' hand was a chunk of a chocolate chip cookie, handed over for Haley to eat. Stone and his wife, Christina, had traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Birmingham, Alabama, for a moment they deemed just as special.
It was hours before Rickwood Field was set to host its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals, an event MLB called "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues." The game aimed to honor the legacies of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left an indelible mark on the sport.
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
MLB planned a week of activities around Mays and the Negro Leagues, including an unveiling ceremony of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham on Wednesday. These tributes took on a more significant meaning when Mays passed away on Tuesday afternoon at the age of 93. As news of his death spread throughout Birmingham, the celebrations of his life intensified. The atmosphere at Rickwood Field on Thursday was electrifying even before fans arrived at the ballpark. The rapid thumping of a drum echoing from inside, excited murmurs from fans skipping toward the music, and frequent bursts of laughter foreshadowed the event's grandeur.
Historical Reminders
Inside Rickwood Field, reminders of history were omnipresent. Photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who had played at the 114-year-old ballpark adorned the walls, showcasing legends like Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige. The original clubhouse of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, where Mays began his professional career in 1948, was open. At the front, a memorial for Mays featured bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys.
Fans Relive History
Outside, fans stood in line to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959 and took photos inside an original 1947 bus typically used during barnstorming tours by Negro Leagues teams. The atmosphere was lively as fans danced to live music and enjoyed concessions from stands with menu boards designed to reflect the look and feel of the 1940s. Eddie Torres and his son Junior, lifelong Giants fans from California, wore matching Giants jerseys as they captured memories inside the ballpark.
Musical artist Jon Batiste added to the energy, strumming a guitar and dancing on a wooden stage near home plate just before the first pitch. Fans stood as former Negro Leaguers were helped to the field for a pregame ceremony, their presence met with shouts of "Willie! Willie!" after a brief moment of silence.
Echoes of the Past
Michael Jackson, sitting in the stands, was reminded of the past. Jackson played baseball in the 1970s and 80s with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League. He had frequented Rickwood Field many times during his baseball journey and felt fortunate that the ballpark still stood.
"It's nice seeing them redo all of this instead of tearing it down," Jackson said. "We played in the same ballpark they named after Willie Mays out in Fairfield, Alabama. I had my times out here playing at this ballpark. It's all very exciting."
Memories and Reflections
Ajay Stone reflected on his memories with Mays. "Willie gave her that cookie. She had no teeth. But we took the cookie and kept it in her stroller for a year and a half. The great Willie Mays gave it to her, so it was special to us," he said. Another fan shared, "I never even got to see Willie Mays play, but as a Giants fan, you knew what he meant to the game of baseball."
"The legacy of Willie Mays transcends generations," said Eddie Torres. "My son, he's only 11. Willie Mays had such an effect on the game that even he knew who Willie Mays was."
As the game commenced and the crowd cheered, it was clear that Rickwood Field was more than just a ballpark for that evening. It was a living museum, a time capsule capturing the essence of a bygone era while honoring the life and legacy of one of baseball's greatest icons, Willie Mays.