Crowds echoed "Willie! Willie!" skyward during a MLB game commemorating the Negro Leagues and baseball legend, Willie Mays.
Three days following the demise of baseball legend Willie Mays at the age of 93, Major League Baseball commemorated him at the oldest professional baseball ground in the U.S., where a young Mays once patrolled the outfield for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues.
Despite the initial intent of Thursday's game between the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to celebrate the Negro Leagues and pay tribute to Mays' legacy, his passing on Tuesday transformed the event into an emotional and overwhelmingly joyful tribute to the icon.
In the Fox broadcast, Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson expressed, "We all aspired to be like Willie. When you went up against him, you couldn't help but be captivated by Willie. He was pure baseball, my ultimate favorite. I respected him, I aspired to be like Willie."
The day before his death, Mays stated he would not attend the tribute game in his hometown but would instead watch the event on TV. Nevertheless, his son, Michael Mays, shared that his presence was felt throughout the evening.
"Birmingham, I've been saying if there was any way on this earth my father could come down here, he would. Well, he's found another way," the son expressed to the packed stadium. "Let him hear you! He's tuned in."
Echoes of "Willie! Willie!" resonated across the stadium as Mays' son and the field of veteran players looked on.
After a heartfelt performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," Grammy-award-winning artist Jon Batiste led the proceedings. Approximately 60 Negro League players were present - the largest official gathering of the league's players in nearly 30 years, according to the MLB.
A procession of Negro League luminaries made their way onto Rickwood Field, as "When the Saints Go Marching In" filled the stadium. Attendees included Bill Greason, Eugene Scruggs, Pedro Sierra, and Henry Collins.
Jazz performances by Batiste throughout the event showcased the Negro League's relationship with jazz artists. Country artists Brittney Spencer and Willie Jones, along with blues singer C.S. Armstrong, joined Batiste in several songs.
Greason, who mentored young Mays, threw the first pitch at the age of 99. Even though the Cardinals outplayed the Giants 6-5, focus remained on Mays and the illustrious careers of the Negro League players.
Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn shared before the game, "Today seems extra special, more significant than just baseball."
Greason, who played alongside Mays on the Birmingham Barons and pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954, expressed to Fox Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal that Negro League players overcame racism and segregation to take the field and showcase their talents.
"We refused to let segregation hinder us from making the most of our skills and abilities. It was truly a blessing to have the opportunity to shine," Greason shared.
Celebrating a Remarkable, Magnetic Career
Although the Giants suffered a loss on Thursday, their presence on the field felt befitting as it was with the Giants that Mays made his major league debut in 1951 at the age of 20, having departed from the Negro Leagues.
His stardom rose rapidly.
He became Rookie of the Year and contributed significantly to the Giants' comeback from a 13-game deficit to tie the Brooklyn Dodgers at the end of the regular season.
Four years later, in 1958, baseball's landscape underwent a significant change as the Giants moved west to San Francisco, but Mays continued to produce remarkable numbers. He posted a career-high .347 batting average in his first season in San Francisco.
In 1958, he amassed 49 homers and 141 runs batted in, which helped the Giants advance to the World Series, where they lost a thrilling 7-game series to the New York Yankees.
Mays was a five-tool player possessing the rare ability to hit for power and average, while also excelling in running, throwing, and fielding. Throughout his 23-season major league career, primarily with the New York Giants and the San Francisco Giants, he totaled 660 career home runs - a second-highest count behind the legendary Babe Ruth.
Mays participated in 24 All-Star games before retiring in 1973 after two seasons with the New York Mets. The Giants have since retired his number, 24.
"The consensus is that Willie Mays is the greatest all-around player who has ever played," veteran sportscaster Bob Costas told CNN. "There's a sense of Poetic justice in his passing while much of the baseball world is gathered in Birmingham, Alabama, at Rickwood Field for a game that was to be dedicated to Willie and still will be."
San Francisco Mayor London Breed saluted Mays on Tuesday as "the best there ever was."
"He was from a generation who confronted segregation and racism, a generation that paved the way for many of us to thrive," Breed said.
CNN's Ray Sanchez, Wayne Sterling, and Kevin Dotson contributed to this report.
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In the tribute game, the crowd continued to cheer "Willie! Willie!" in honor of the late baseball legend, echoing their enthusiasm from the MLB game commemorating him.
During the Fox broadcast, various players and personalities shared their admiration for Willie Mays, highlighting his magnetic career and the impact he had on the game.
