Willie Mays died Tuesday night at age 93, but not before the baseball legend left one final message for his hometown of Birmingham.
The message was read aloud Wednesday by Noah Jackson, long-time college baseball coach and godson of Dusty Baker, Mays’ close friend and former manager of the San Francisco Giants. Jackson also delivered an antique clock bearing Mays’ picture and four “24s” (his uniform number) in place of the 12, 3, 6 and 9 digits, a gift from the Hall-of-Famer to the people of Birmingham.
Mays’ San Francisco Giants face the St. Louis Cardinals in the MLB at Rickwood Field game on Thursday night in Birmingham. Mays had been hoping to attend, but announced Monday he would not be able to do so for health reasons.
He died the following day.
Here’s the full text of Mays’ message:
“Birmingham, Birmingham.
“I wish I could be with you all today. This is where I’m from.
“I had my first pro hit here at Rickwood as a Baron in 1948. And now, this year, 76 years later, it finally got counted in the record books.
“Some things take time. But I always think, better late than never.
“Time changes things, time heals wounds. And that is a good thing.
“I had some of the best times of my life in Birmingham. So I want you to have this clock to remember those times with me and to remember all the other players who are lucky enough to play here at Rickwood Field in Birmingham.
“Remember, time is on your side.”
Born in 1931 in the Birmingham suburb of Westfield, Mays played for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League in 1948 and 1949 before signing with the then-New York Giants in 1950. He was National League Rookie of the Year in 1951, NL Most Valuable Player in 1954 and 1965, a 24-time All-Star and 12-time Gold Glove winner.
Mays retired in 1973 after a career many consider to be the greatest in terms of all-around excellence in the sport’s history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.
Major League Baseball announced earlier this year it would incorporate statistics from the Negro Leagues — including Mays’ numbers with the Black Barons — into its official records. Thursday’s MLB at Rickwood Field game is being billed as a “Tribute to the Negro Leagues.”
