MLB game in Rickwood has “spiritual component” after Willie Mays death
Willie Mays of the Giants, one of baseball’s greatest players, has died at the age of 93
“Say Hey Kid” Willie Mays, considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, has died.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Willie Mays may have died at his Bay Area home Tuesday, but wherever you looked, whatever you felt and whoever you talked to Wednesday, Mays was everywhere in his hometown of Birmingham.
Mays’ Hall of Fame plaque left the halls of Cooperstown for the first time since his induction in 1979 and hung proudly in Rickwood Field.
May’s mural, larger than a movie screen, was unveiled for everyone downtown to see.
Mays was represented by “Say Hey” jerseys at a celebrity softball game featuring Hall of Fame members and some of baseball’s greatest former stars.
“I think there’s a spiritual component to this,” said San Francisco Giants president Larry Baer. “Remember, Willie really wanted to be at Rickwood, but he knew he physically couldn’t, and this is his way of being here.”
“He was so excited for us all to come to Birmingham and Rickwood, and in many ways it worked out. It’s come full circle. Honestly, that’s what Willie would have wanted: to bring everyone here. …
“He started here and we’re all here to honor him. We wish we could have done it sooner than 76 years ago, but we did it. We finally did it. It’s a beautiful thing that’s coming together.
“Between Juneteenth and everyone in this city, it’s one of those rare moments in life where you sit back and just feel awe.”
That sentiment permeated the city’s players and dignitaries throughout the day honoring the Negro Leagues, and conversation repeatedly turned to Mays.
Pitcher LaTroy Hawkins, who joined the Giants from the Chicago Cubs in 2005, remembers his first encounter with Mays when he entered the locker room. Hawkins was so excited that he quickly grabbed his cell phone, called his grandfather Eddie Williams and put him through to Mays.
“You can’t believe how excited he was,” said Hawkins, who also got a signed jersey from Mays for his grandfather and uncle. “You have to understand. Willie was my grandfather’s favorite player. My grandfather had the opportunity to see Willie play. He always talked about Willie.”
It was no different for former All-Star outfielder Dexter Fowler, who first met Mays at the 2014 World Series as Mays was relaxing in a lounge chair in a suite. Barry Bonds, Mays’ godson, introduced the two.
“Hey Willie, I want you to meet someone,” Fowler recalled. “This is Dexter Fowler.”
“Willie just looks at me and says, ‘You can’t shut it down like you used to.’
“I fell in love with this guy.”
The greatest compliment in the world, outfielders will tell you, was when they made a catch that brought back memories of one of Mays’ glorious, patented catches.
“I remember catching a ball over my head in Seattle and denying Miguel Olivo a hit,” said former five-time All-Star center fielder Adam Jones. “And (Orioles commentator) Gary Thorne said, ‘He made the ball Willie Mays.’ There’s no better way to describe a catch than Willie Mays.”
“I think this will live on forever.”
Jones, who has won the Gold Glove four times, says Mays’ advice at a young age helped him become one of the best defensive outfielders in the game.
“I remember meeting him and he told me, ‘Man, don’t ever play this game out of fear,'” Jones said. “He said, ‘If a ball goes over your head in midfield, don’t worry about the wall, young man, go get it.’ He just spoke with that confidence.’
“The confidence with which he spoke, the passion with which he spoke, he loved this game. It was his life. From his childhood until his death, he represented baseball with the utmost respect. I think he is one of the finest men to ever represent this game.
“We know he’s here for us. We really are here for him. He looks down on us smiling and knowing we’re celebrating him in a great way.”
Former Cy Young winner CC Sabathia sat in the Willie Mays Pavilion at Rickwood Field on Tuesday night when news of his death broke. Sabathia was initially devastated, but his grief soon turned to a sense of pride.
“I think that’s why we’re in Birmingham,” Sabathia said. “We came here to celebrate Willie’s career and what he meant to baseball. … He’s your favorite player’s favorite player. You know what I mean. He’s like Ken Griffey Jr. of my generation, and for everybody in the ’40s and ’50s, Willie is the greatest baseball player of all time.”
“Now we have a chance to celebrate this man’s life and really understand what he meant. What he meant to baseball, to black history, to American history, to all of us. This feels right. This is what we should do. After his death, we should celebrate.
“This is the first of many. Really, it’s perfect.”
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