Honoring Willie Mays at Rickwood Field: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues

Ajay Stone strolled around the historic Rickwood Field, admiring the tributes to Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers who had left an indelible mark on baseball. He was clutching a cherished keepsake—a photograph 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 piece of chocolate chip cookie that he offered to Haley.

Stone and his wife, Christina, had traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Birmingham, Alabama, for a moment they deemed equally special. They arrived hours before Rickwood Field would host its first Major League Baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, an event dubbed "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues." This game was intended to honor the legacies of Mays and other Black baseball legends whose contributions to the sport have been monumental.

Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays

MLB organized a week-long series of events in honor of Mays and the Negro Leagues, including the unveiling of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham on Wednesday. These tributes resonated deeply, particularly after Mays passed away at the age of 93 on Tuesday afternoon. As news of his death spread, the celebrations of his life intensified across Birmingham.

The atmosphere at Rickwood Field was electric even before the ballpark gates opened. The rhythmic pounding of drums echoed within the park, accompanied by excited murmurs from fans hustling toward the music, punctuated by frequent bursts of laughter that foretold the grandeur of the upcoming event.

Inside, history was palpable. Photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who had 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 also open. A memorial dedicated to Mays stood prominently at the front, showcasing bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys.

Fans Relive History

Outside, fans queued to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959 and took photos seated inside an original bus from 1947, commonly used during the barnstorming tours of Negro Leagues teams. Fans danced to live music and indulged in food from concession stands that featured menu boards designed to capture the aesthetic of the 1940s.

Eddie Torres and his son, Junior, both lifelong Giants fans from California, wore matching Giants jerseys as they snapped photos inside the ballpark. The atmosphere was further enlivened by musical artist Jon Batiste, who strummed a guitar while dancing on a wooden stage near home plate, just before the first pitch.

Former Negro Leaguers were escorted to the field for a pregame ceremony, met with shouts of "Willie! Willie!" following a brief moment of silence.

Echoes of the Past

Michael Jackson, a spectator in the stands at Rickwood Field, couldn't help but be reminded of the past. Jackson had played baseball in the 1970s and '80s with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League. His baseball journey had taken him to Rickwood Field many times, and he was thrilled that the historic ballpark still stood.

"It's nice seeing them redo 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 reflect on his memories 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 because the great Willie Mays had given it to her. It was special to us," he said.

Indeed, Mays' legacy transcended generations and geography, touching even those who had never seen him play. "I never even got to see Willie Mays play, but as a Giants fan, you knew what he meant to the game of baseball," one fan shared. "My son, he's only 11, and yet Willie Mays had such an effect on the game that even he knows who Willie Mays was," Eddie Torres added.

As the game commenced and the crowd erupted in cheers, it was clear that Rickwood Field was more than just a ballpark that evening. It had transformed into 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.