Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, gazing at the tributes displayed in honor of Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers. Stone clutched a cherished memory under his arm: a picture from 2004 of Mays holding Stone's then-10-month-old daughter, Haley, who was wearing San Francisco Giants gear. In Mays' hand was a chunk of a chocolate chip cookie, which he was handing over to Haley.
Stone and his wife, Christina, traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Birmingham, Alabama, on Thursday for a moment they deemed equally special. It was hours before Rickwood Field hosted its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, an event MLB dubbed "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues." The game was aimed at honoring the legacies of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left a lasting imprint 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 deeper meaning Tuesday afternoon when news broke that Mays had passed away at 93. As word of his death spread throughout Birmingham, 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 from inside the stadium, excited murmurs from fans making their way toward the music, and frequent bursts of laughter set the stage for an unforgettable event.
Inside, history was everywhere. 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 for visitors. A memorial dedicated to Mays featured bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his jerseys from the Black Barons and San Francisco Giants.
Fans Relive History
Outside the stadium, fans stood in line to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959 and took photos inside an original bus from 1947, which was typically used during barnstorming tours by Negro League 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, wore matching Giants jerseys as they took pictures inside the ballpark. Lifelong Giants fans, they had traveled from California for the game. Musical artist Jon Batiste played the guitar while dancing on a wooden stage near home plate just before the first pitch. As fans stood for the pregame ceremony, shouts of "Willie! Willie!" echoed through the stadium after 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. His baseball journey took him to Rickwood Field many times, and he was excited that it was still standing.
"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." Echoing this sentiment, Eddie Torres commented, "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 became clear that Rickwood Field was more than just a ballpark 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.