As Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field and gazed at tributes displayed in honor of Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers, he clutched a cherished
A memorial to Willie Mays is seen inside Rickwood Field before a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants , Thursday, June 20, 2024, in Birmingham , Ala. Mays, who began his professional career with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues in 1948 and played at Rickwood Field , passed away on Tuesday at the age of 93.
“Willie gave her that cookie. She had no teeth,” Stone remembered. "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.”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.
You could hear the celebration at Rickwood Field on Thursday even before arriving at the ballpark with the rapid thumping of a drum echoing from inside the ballpark, excited murmurs from fans skipping toward the music and frequent bursts of laughter.There were photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who played at the 114-year-old ballpark, including Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige.
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.For Michael Jackson, sitting in the stands at Rickwood Field reminded him of the past.
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