Ajay Stone wandered around the historic Rickwood Field, taking in the tributes honoring Willie Mays and other legendary Negro Leaguers. Clutching a cherished memory close, Stone held a photograph from 2004. The picture captured a poignant moment: Mays handing a piece of chocolate chip cookie to Stone’s then-10-month-old daughter, Haley.
Stone and his wife, Christina, made the journey from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Birmingham, Alabama, to witness a moment they considered equally special. Hours before Rickwood Field hosted its first Major League Baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, an event MLB dubbed "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues," the Stones were present to honor the enduring legacies of Mays and other Black baseball pioneers.
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
MLB organized a week of activities celebrating Mays and the Negro Leagues, including the unveiling of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham on Wednesday. These tributes gained profound significance on Tuesday afternoon with the news of Mays' passing at the age of 93.
As the announcement of his death spread throughout Birmingham, the planned celebrations transformed into heartfelt commemorations of his life. The atmosphere at Rickwood Field on Thursday was electrifying. The rhythmic beats of a drum echoed through the ballpark, excited chatter filled the air, and bursts of laughter underscored the event’s grandeur.
Inside Rickwood Field, history was palpable. 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, where Mays began his professional career in 1948, was open to the public. At the front of the clubhouse stood a memorial for Mays, featuring bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys.
Fans Relive History
Outside the ballpark, fans eagerly queued to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959 and to take photos inside an original 1947 bus, commonly used by Negro Leagues teams during their barnstorming tours. The lively atmosphere was further enhanced by live music, dancing, and concession stands designed to emulate the look and feel of the 1940s.
Eddie Torres and his son, Junior, both lifelong Giants fans, traveled from California for the game. Wearing matching Giants jerseys, they eagerly took photos inside the historic ballpark. Musical artist Jon Batiste added to the pre-game festivities, strumming a guitar and dancing near home plate just before the first pitch.
As former Negro Leaguers were helped onto the field for a pregame ceremony, the crowd erupted with shouts of "Willie! Willie!" after a brief moment of silence, paying their respects to the legendary Mays.
Echoes of the Past
Michael Jackson, a former baseball player who spent his career with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League during the 1970s and 80s, found himself nostalgically reflecting on the past. "It’s nice seeing them re-do all of this instead of tearing it down," Jackson remarked. "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 took a moment to reminisce about his encounter with Mays. "Willie gave her that cookie. She had no teeth. But we took the cookie, and we 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 recounted.
Another fan reflected, "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 added, "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 erupted in cheers, it was evident 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.