Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, taking in the tributes displayed in honor of Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers. Under his arm, Stone 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, which he was handing over for Haley to eat.
Stone and his wife, Christina, had traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Birmingham, Alabama, on Thursday for a moment they deemed just as special. It was just hours before Rickwood Field was set to host its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, an event that MLB had dubbed "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues." The game was meant to honor the legacies of Mays and other Black baseball greats who have left an enduring mark on the sport.
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
MLB planned a week of activities centered around Mays and the Negro Leagues, including the unveiling of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham on Wednesday. These tributes took on a more significant meaning when, on Tuesday afternoon, news broke that Mays had died at the age of 93. As the news spread throughout Birmingham, celebrations of his life intensified.
The atmosphere at Rickwood Field on Thursday was electric even before fans arrived at the ballpark. The rapid thumping of a drum echoed from within the stadium, accompanying excited chatter and frequent bursts of laughter from fans approaching the venue. Inside, reminders of history were everywhere. Photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who had 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, the Negro Leagues team where Mays started his professional career in 1948, was open to the public. A memorial for Mays took pride of place at the front, featuring bobbleheads, a signed glove, and jerseys from both the Black Barons and the San Francisco Giants.
Fans Relive History
Outside, fans queued 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. There was live music and concession stands featuring menus designed to evoke the 1940s. Eddie Torres and his son Junior, lifelong Giants fans from California, wore matching Giants jerseys as they took pictures inside the ballpark.
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 onto the field for a pregame ceremony, and shouts of "Willie! Willie!" broke out after a brief moment of silence in Mays' honor.
Echoes of the Past
Michael Jackson, sitting in the stands at Rickwood Field, was reminded of his own past. Jackson had played baseball in the 1970s and 80s with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League. His baseball journey had taken him to Rickwood Field many times, and he was thrilled that it's still standing.
"It's nice seeing them redo all of this instead of tearing it down," Jackson said. "We played in the same ballpark that is 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," he added.
As the game commenced and the crowd cheered, it became 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.