Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, his eyes lingering on the tributes honoring Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers. Clutched tightly under his arm was a cherished memory: a photograph from 2004 featuring Mays holding Stone's then-10-month-old daughter Haley, who was decked out 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 Birmingham, Alabama, for an occasion they considered just as special. It was hours before Rickwood Field would host its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals—an event that MLB called "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues." The game aimed to honor the legacies of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left an indelible mark on the sport.
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
MLB planned a week of activities around Mays and the Negro Leagues, including an unveiling ceremony of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham on Wednesday. These tributes took on a more significant meaning Tuesday afternoon when Mays passed away at 93. As news of his death spread throughout Birmingham, celebrations of his life intensified.
On Thursday, the atmosphere at Rickwood Field was electrifying even before stepping inside the ballpark. The rapid thumping of a drum echoed from within, excited murmurs from fans skipped toward the music, and frequent bursts of laughter foreshadowed the event's grandeur. Inside, the history of baseball icons was palpable. Photos and artifacts of 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. A memorial of Mays stood at the forefront, featuring bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys.
Fans Relive History
Outside, fans queued up to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959 and took photos inside an original bus from 1947, once used during barnstorming tours by Negro Leagues teams. Fans danced to live music while enjoying food from concession stands with menu boards designed to evoke the 1940s.
Eddie Torres and his son Junior, lifelong Giants fans who had traveled from California, wore matching Giants jerseys as they captured memories inside the ballpark. Musical artist Jon Batiste strummed his guitar while dancing on a wooden stage near home plate just before the first pitch. Fans stood to their feet as former Negro Leaguers were helped onto the field for a pregame ceremony. Shouts of "Willie! Willie!" rang out following a brief moment of silence.
Echoes of the Past
Michael Jackson, seated in the stands at Rickwood Field, found himself reflecting on 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 multiple times, and he was thrilled to see it still standing.
"It's nice seeing them redo all of this instead of tearing it down," Jackson said. "We played in the same ballpark 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 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."
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 cheered, it became evident 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.