Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, gazing at tributes displayed in honor of Willie Mays and other legendary 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 wearing 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, traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to be in Birmingham, Alabama, on Thursday for a moment they deemed just as special. It was hours before Rickwood Field hosted its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, an event MLB called "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues."
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
MLB planned a week of activities around Willie Mays and the Negro Leagues, including an unveiling ceremony on Wednesday of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham. These tributes took on a more significant meaning Tuesday afternoon when Mays died at 93. As news of his death spread throughout Birmingham, celebrations of his life ramped up.
The atmosphere at Rickwood Field on Thursday was electrifying even before fans arrived at the ballpark. The rapid thumping of a drum echoing from inside the ballpark, excited murmurs from fans skipping towards the music, and frequent bursts of laughter foreshadowed the event's grandeur.
Inside, reminders of history adorned the walls. Photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who played at the 114-year-old ballpark, including Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige, were on display. The original clubhouse of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, where Mays got his pro start in 1948, was open. At the front stood a memorial of Mays 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 sitting inside an original bus from 1947, generally 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 look and feel of the 1940s.
Eddie Torres and his son Junior wore matching Giants jerseys as they took pictures inside the ballpark. They are lifelong Giants fans who traveled from California for the game. Musical artist Jon Batiste strummed a guitar while dancing on a wooden stage near home plate just before the first pitch. Fans stood as former Negro Leaguers were helped to the field for a pregame ceremony. Shouts of "Willie! Willie!" broke out after a brief moment of silence.
Echoes of the Past
Michael Jackson, sitting 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. Jackson's baseball journey took him to Rickwood Field many times.
"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 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 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 echoed the sentiment, "The legacy of Willie Mays transcends generations," he said. "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 was clear 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.