Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, eyes fixed on the tributes honoring Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers. Cherished under his arm was a precious memory—a photograph from 2004 of Mays holding his then-10-month-old daughter, Haley, decked in San Francisco Giants gear. In Mays' hand was a piece of a chocolate chip cookie, which he was handing to Haley.
Traveling from Charlotte, North Carolina, Ajay and his wife, Christina, found themselves in Birmingham, Alabama, for an occasion they deemed equally special. Hours before Rickwood Field hosted its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, the event was branded as "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues."
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
Major League Baseball had orchestrated a week-long celebration of Willie Mays and the Negro Leagues, including the unveiling of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham. This celebration took a poignant turn when news of Mays' death at 93 broke on Tuesday afternoon. As the news spread, the festivities in Birmingham transformed into heartfelt tributes to Mays' legendary life.
The atmosphere at Rickwood Field was electric even before entering the ballpark. The rhythmic thumping of a drum echoed inside, combining with excited murmurs and bursts of laughter from fans who dashed toward the music. Inside, historical reminders were everywhere: photographs and memorabilia of Hall of Famers like Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige adorned the walls. The original clubhouse of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, where Mays began his professional career in 1948, was open to the public. A memorial dedicated to Mays stood front and center, featuring 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 photographs inside an original bus from 1947—once used by Negro Leagues teams during barnstorming tours. Concession stands offered food, and the menu boards were designed to replicate the aesthetic of the 1940s. Eddie Torres and his son, Junior, who wore matching Giants jerseys, traveled from California to partake in the event. Meanwhile, musical artist Jon Batiste serenaded the crowd with a guitar performance, dancing on a wooden stage near home plate just before the first pitch.
As the pregame ceremony commenced, former Negro Leaguers were escorted onto the field. The crowd erupted in shouts of "Willie! Willie!" after a brief moment of silence, commemorating the life of the baseball legend.
Echoes of the Past
Michael Jackson, a former player in the Birmingham Industrial League with the East Thomas Eagles during the 1970s and 80s, was among the attendees. Sitting in the stands, Jackson reflected on the past, "It's nice seeing them re-do all of this instead of tearing it down. 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 revisited his memories with Mays, recalling, "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." 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 erupted into cheers, it became evident that Rickwood Field was more than just a ballpark for that evening. It 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.