Next season, a special event will take place in Major League Baseball as the San Francisco Giants will take on the St. Louis Cardinals at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Rickwood Field is the oldest professional baseball venue in the United States and was home to the Birmingham Black Barons.
Giants legend Willie Mays played for the Black Barons during his days in the Negro Leagues before joining the Giants.
On Tuesday, he commented on this special event and what it means to him.
He released a statement through the Giants, who posted it in their most recent tweet announcing next year’s game in Birmingham.
On June 20, 2024, the #SFGiants will play the St. Louis Cardinals at Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in the United States and former home of Willie Mays' Negro League team, the Birmingham Black Barons. pic.twitter.com/IlDT2QU7sN
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 20, 2023
Mays played on this field as a teenager.
He stated that he never thought a Major League Baseball game would actually take place on this field.
It’s been 75 years since Mays got a chance to play on that field.
Mays said the fact that two MLB teams will actually get a chance to play on this field is an emotional experience for him.
The Hall-of-Famer expressed pride in his Negro League past and all the players that made a difference in baseball, while also stressing the importance of remembering these great players and all they had to sacrifice in order to make their dreams come true.
The game will take place exactly a year from Tuesday.
On June 20, 2024, the Giants and Cardinals will match up to open a weekend series as the baseball world celebrates Juneteenth and the historical significance of the Negro Leagues.
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