Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, gazing at 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 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, to witness an event they deemed equally special. It was just hours before Rickwood Field would host its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, an event MLB titled "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues." The game aimed to honor the legacies of Mays and other Black baseball greats whose contributions have had an enduring impact on the sport.
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
MLB planned a week of activities 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 significance when Mays died at 93 on Tuesday afternoon. As news of his death spread through Birmingham, celebrations of his life intensified.
The atmosphere at Rickwood Field on Thursday was electrifying long before arriving at the ballpark. The rapid thumping of a drum echoing from within, excited murmurs of fans hurrying toward the music, and frequent bursts of laughter all foretold the event's grandeur. Inside, the historical ambiance 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 of the Negro Leagues, where Mays began his professional career in 1948, was open to the public. A memorial for Mays was prominently displayed, featuring bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys.
Fans Relive History
Outside, fans stood in line to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959, and took photos inside an original bus from 1947 that was 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 feel of the 1940s.
Eddie Torres and his son Junior, both wearing matching Giants jerseys, took pictures inside the ballpark. They are lifelong Giants fans who had come from California for the game. Musical artist Jon Batiste strummed a guitar and danced 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.
Echoes of the Past
Michael Jackson, seated in the stands at Rickwood Field, 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 brought 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 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 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 shared.
Another fan mentioned, "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."
As the game commenced and the crowd cheered, it became apparent 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.