The Passing of a Legend
Willie Mays, an inner-circle baseball great, passed away at the age of 93. His death came just two days before he was to be honored at Birmingham's historic Rickwood Field, a ballpark of immense personal significance to Mays as it was where his big-league baseball career began. Despite the immense loss, plans to commemorate Mays' legacy will proceed as scheduled, with the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals playing a game at Rickwood Field on Thursday evening. This event, meant to be a celebration of Mays, Rickwood, and the Negro Leagues, will be rich with appreciations, memories, and tales of Mays' brilliance, still echoing through the stadium where his journey to baseball greatness began.
The Early Years
Born in 1931 during the Great Depression, Willie Mays was raised in the mill towns outside Birmingham. From a young age, Mays exhibited exceptional athletic talent, excelling in multiple sports during his high school years. Playing outfield alongside his father for a local team and later for a semi-pro outfit, Mays quickly made a name for himself. Additionally, he played for the Chattanooga Choo-Choos, a farm team for the Birmingham Black Barons, where the Black Barons' manager, Piper Davis, first noticed his prodigious talent.
The Unconventional Path
The Black Barons signed Mays at the tender age of 16, but his father insisted he finish high school. Consequently, Mays was only able to play in the Black Barons' weekend home games at Rickwood Field. He made his debut in the second game of a doubleheader, playing left field, batting seventh, and securing two hits against notable pitcher Chet Brewer. An unfortunate broken leg suffered by center fielder Bobby Robinson opened up the position, allowing Mays to demonstrate his skills in center field, which would become his iconic position.
Scouting the Prodigy
Rickwood Field’s expansive outfield offered a perfect stage for Mays to showcase his exceptional abilities. Following Jackie Robinson's historic MLB debut in 1947, scouts increasingly turned their eyes to the Negro Leagues. Despite playing only 10 games for the Black Barons, Mays' impressive stats—a .233/.313/.326 batting average, including his first ten official MLB hits—drew significant attention. The Black Barons, powered by a formidable roster, achieved a 63-28-2 record in 1948, narrowly edging out the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro American League Series, before ultimately falling to the Homestead Grays in the Negro League World Series. Mays' contributions, even as a once-a-week player, were a harbinger of his future greatness.
The Legacy of Greatness
At Rickwood Field, the same place where Mays registered his first 10 major-league hits, baseball will bid farewell to one of its most luminary figures. The upcoming game between the Giants and Cardinals is not merely a tribute but a celebration of a storied career and a monumental legacy. "It'll be a special day, and I hope the kids will enjoy it and be inspired by it," is the underlying sentiment expressed by those involved in organizing the event.
Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in the U.S., holds a profound place in baseball history as the home of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. The event has been fittingly scheduled around Juneteenth next year, aiming to honor Hall of Famer and Giants Legend, Birmingham native Willie Mays. Reflecting on the occasion, Mays himself once said, "It has been 75 years since I played for the Birmingham Black Barons at Rickwood Field, and to learn that my Giants and the Cardinals will play a game there and honor the legacy of the Negro Leagues and all those who came before them is really emotional for me. We can't forget what got us here and that was the Negro Leagues for so many of us."
The enduring spirit of Willie Mays will resonate through Rickwood Field during the event, as fans and players gather to honor one of baseball's greatest heroes. While Mays will not be there in person, his remarkable legacy will be palpable in every corner of the historic ballpark, serving as an everlasting inspiration to future generations.