While baseball was in the air during Thursday’s San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals game at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, the late Willie Mays filled hearts and minds.
Mays died on Tuesday at the age of 93, just two days before his Giants played at Rickwood, where he started his baseball career in the Negro Leagues with the Birmingham Black Barons.
MLB and Fox Sports put together an excellent plan to make sure Mays’ memory was alive with all who attended Thursday’s game.
Here are five awesome ways that the night’s game recognized Mays and paid tribute to his trailblazing baseball career.
There was an awesome pre-game video that highlighted Mays’ life
“He was larger than life, but bigger than no one. He gave his whole heart to this game, and we gave our love right back.”
Tonight's for you, Willie Mays. #MLBatRickwood pic.twitter.com/oNqyMF7SWm
— MLB (@MLB) June 20, 2024
The on-field ceremony for Mays was very powerful
An emotional welcome to #MLBatRickwood.
Michael Mays, Willie's son, with Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. at his side. pic.twitter.com/BBFyzieymn
— MLB (@MLB) June 20, 2024
Former MLB player Reggie Jackson talked about the first time he met Mays
"I shook his hand, just honored that he wanted to know who I was."
Reggie Jackson recalls his first time meeting Willie Mays.
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/R5r1MgCRcZ
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 21, 2024
Mays’ former teammate Bill Greason talked about his time with Mays
"We didn't allow segregation to stop us from playing, from using our talents and gifts for what we were there for. It was a tremendous blessing to have a gift from God to be recognized as such."
Bill Greason tells @Ken_Rosenthal stories about Willie Mays, Rickwood Field, and… pic.twitter.com/ku0Vli9W8t
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 21, 2024
MLB legend Barry Bonds, May’s godson, was featured in a segment highlighting their relationship
Nobody had a closer seat to Willie Mays' greatness than Barry Bonds.@BarryBonds sits down to talk about his lifelong relationship with his godfather pic.twitter.com/SZ2mnr2ZFu
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 20, 2024
