Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, eyes lingering on tributes to Willie Mays and fellow Negro Leaguers. Stone held a treasured memory close: a photograph from 2004 of Mays holding his then-10-month-old daughter, Haley, who was dressed in San Francisco Giants gear. In Mays' hand was a piece of a chocolate chip cookie, which he was offering to Haley.
Stone and his wife, Christina, had traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to be in Birmingham, Alabama, for an event they considered equally momentous. Hours before Rickwood Field would host its first Major League Baseball game, featuring the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals, the atmosphere was electric. This game, dubbed by MLB as "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues," aimed to honor the legacies of Willie Mays and other Black baseball greats who etched an indelible mark on the sport.
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
MLB orchestrated a week filled with activities celebrating Mays and the Negro Leagues. On Wednesday, a Willie Mays mural was unveiled in downtown Birmingham. These tributes gained profound significance when Mays passed away at the age of 93 on Tuesday afternoon. As news of his death spread throughout Birmingham, celebrations of his life intensified.
The atmosphere at Rickwood Field on Thursday crackled with anticipation long before fans even reached the ballpark. The rhythmic thumping of a drum echoed from inside, excited murmurs filled the air, and bursts of laughter hinted at the event's grandeur. Inside, history spoke from every corner.
Photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who graced the 114-year-old ballpark, including Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige, adorned the walls. The original clubhouse of the Birmingham Black Barons, where Mays began his professional career in 1948, was open. At the front of the clubhouse, a memorial to Mays featured bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys on display.
Fans Relive History
Outside, fans waited patiently in line to hold a baseball bat Mays used in 1959 and took photos inside an original 1947 bus, commonly used during barnstorming tours by Negro Leagues teams. The atmosphere felt like a time capsule, with live music and concession stands offering food items from menus designed to reflect the 1940s.
Eddie Torres and his son Junior, both wearing matching Giants jerseys, took pictures inside the ballpark. Lifelong Giants fans, they had traveled all the way from California for this momentous game. As musical artist Jon Batiste strummed a guitar and danced on a wooden stage near home plate just before the first pitch, the crowd buzzed with excitement.
Former Negro Leaguers were helped to the field for a pregame ceremony, prompting shouts of "Willie! Willie!" after a brief moment of silence, a testament to Mays' enduring legacy.
Echoes of the Past
In the stands, Michael Jackson found himself lost in memories. Jackson had played baseball in the 1970s and 80s with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League. He was thrilled to see Rickwood Field still standing.
"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 reminisced about his encounters with Mays. "Willie gave her that cookie. She had no teeth. But we kept the cookie in her stroller for a year and a half. The great Willie Mays gave it to her, so it was special to us," he recounted.
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 impact on the game that even he knew who Willie Mays was."
As the game ensued and the crowd erupted in cheers, it became evident that Rickwood Field was more than just a ballpark that evening. It served as a living museum, a time capsule preserving the essence of a bygone era while honoring the life and legacy of one of baseball's greatest icons, Willie Mays.