Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, taking in tributes displayed in honor of Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers. Stone clutched a cherished memory that he had brought with him—a picture from 2004 of Mays holding Stone's then-10-month-old daughter Haley, dressed in San Francisco Giants gear. In Mays' hand was a chunk of a chocolate chip cookie, which he was handing 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 would host its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, an event MLB called "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues." The game was meant to honor the legacies of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left an enduring mark on the sport.
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
MLB planned a week of activities around Mays and the Negro Leagues, including a mural unveiling ceremony on Wednesday in downtown Birmingham. These tributes took on a more significant meaning when Mays died on Tuesday afternoon at the age of 93. As news of his death spread throughout Birmingham, celebrations of his life ramped up.
The atmosphere at Rickwood Field on Thursday was electrifying even before reaching the ballpark. The rapid thumping of a drum echoed from inside, accompanied by excited murmurs from fans moving toward the music, and frequent bursts of laughter that foreshadowed the event's grandeur. Inside, reminders of history were all around. Photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who played at the 114-year-old ballpark, including Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige, adorned the walls.
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 stood a memorial for Mays, complete with bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys on display.
Fans Relive History
Outside, fans lined up to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959 and took photos sitting inside an original bus from 1947, typically used during barnstorming tours by Negro Leagues teams. Fans danced to live music and enjoyed food from concession stands featuring menu boards designed to reflect the look and feel of the 1940s. Eddie Torres and his son Junior, adorned in matching Giants jerseys, took pictures inside the ballpark. Lifelong Giants fans, they had traveled all the way from California for the game.
Musical artist Jon Batiste strummed a guitar while 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. Shouts of "Willie! Willie!" broke out, followed by a brief moment of silence.
Echoes of the Past
Sitting in the stands at Rickwood Field, Michael Jackson was reminded of the past. Jackson played baseball in the 1970s and 80s with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League, and his baseball journey had often brought him to Rickwood Field. He was thrilled to see the ballpark still standing and being celebrated. "It's nice seeing them re-do 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 noted. 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." Eddie Torres echoed this sentiment, saying, "The legacy of Willie Mays transcends generations. 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 evident 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.