Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, taking in the tributes to Willie Mays and other Negro League legends. Clutching a cherished photo from 2004, Stone recalled the moment. The picture captured 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 he was handing over to Haley.
Stone and his wife, Christina, traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Birmingham, Alabama, for an event they deemed just as special. Hours before the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals would play a Major League Baseball game at Rickwood Field, MLB's tribute to the Negro Leagues was already underway. 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 had arranged a week of activities surrounding Mays and the Negro Leagues, kicking off with the unveiling of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham. These tributes took on even greater significance when Mays passed away at 93 on Tuesday. As news of his death spread, celebrations of his life ramped up throughout Birmingham.
The atmosphere at Rickwood Field on Thursday was electrifying even before fans reached the ballpark. The rapid thumping of drums, excited murmurs, and bursts of laughter hinted at the event's grandeur. Inside, reminders of history were everywhere. 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 pro career in 1948, was open to visitors. A memorial for Mays featured bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys.
Fans Relive History
Outside, fans lined up to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959 and took photos inside a 1947 bus typically used by Negro Leagues teams during barnstorming tours. They danced to live music and enjoyed food from concession stands designed to evoke the 1940s.
Eddie Torres and his son Junior, lifelong Giants fans, came from California for the game. Sporting matching Giants jerseys, they took pictures inside the ballpark. Musical artist Jon Batiste entertained the crowd by strumming a guitar and dancing on a wooden stage near home plate before the first pitch.
The crowd rose as former Negro Leaguers were helped onto the field for a pregame ceremony. Shouts of "Willie! Willie!" broke the silence as fans paid their respects.
Echoes of the Past
Michael Jackson, seated in the stands at Rickwood Field, was transported back to his playing days with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League in the 1970s and '80s. Jackson's baseball journey frequently brought him to Rickwood Field, and he was thrilled that it still stood.
"It's nice to see them preserving this instead of tearing it down," Jackson said. "We played in the same ballpark they named after Willie Mays in Fairfield, Alabama. I had my moments at this ballpark. It's all very exciting."
Memories and Reflections
Ajay Stone fondly remembered his encounter with Mays. "Willie gave Haley that cookie. She had no teeth, but we kept the cookie 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 reflected on Mays' impact: "I never 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, who's only 11, even knows who Willie Mays was."
As the game commenced and the crowd cheered, it became clear 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.