BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Hours before crowds were expected to gather for the unveiling of a mural honoring baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays in downtown Birmingham, a handful of cars drove by, slowing to a halt as passersby thrust cameras out of their windows to take pictures of the display.
It's an enchanting depiction of the electrifying “Say Hey Kid,” showing Mays beaming with his hands on his knees, his bevy of athletic accomplishments painted around him.
The mural was created by artist Chuck Styles and celebrates Mays' contributions to baseball, honoring the longtime Giants center fielder who died Tuesday at age 93.
Tributes to Mays, born in Westfield, Alabama, near Birmingham, poured in all over the country on Wednesday, including from President Joe Biden.
“Like so many others in my neighborhood and around the country, when I played Little League, I wanted to play center field because of Willie Mays,” Biden said in a statement. “It was a rite of passage to practice his basket catches, daring steals, and command at the plate — only to be told by coaches to cut it out because no one can do what Willie Mays could do.”
Mays, who began his professional career with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues in 1948, had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer and was considered the sport's greatest living player.
Mays died two days before a game between his former team, the San Francisco Giants, and the St. Louis Cardinals to honor the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham.
“It’s actually even heavier today,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin, wearing a Mays T-shirt. “When you read all the articles and you read what everybody has to say about him, it kind of comes full circle in what he’s meant to our country. Even if you don’t know baseball, you know who Willie Mays is.”
Melvin said the Giants would wear patches with Mays' No. 24 on their chest for Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs.
When the team travels to Birmingham for the commemorative game at Rickwood Field on Thursday, the Giants will open Oracle Park for fans to watch the game on the scoreboard, the team announced.
Images of Mays will appear on the scoreboard before and after the event, and a sculpture of his jersey number will be placed in center field to honor him.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Thursday’s game becomes even more poignant after Mays' death.
“Being there with everything that is going on will be definitely meaningful. You have an icon of the sport in the city where it all started, so I think bringing light to all of it will be a pretty cool moment down there,” Marmol said.
The 37-year-old manager said he never met Mays, but it was interesting to hear stories from former Giants like Brandon Crawford about him.
“I will do more of that today. It will be fun to hear people's stories,” Marmol said. “I am curious to ask around to those who have.”
Cardinals assistant coach Willie McGee said he had several conversations with Mays when he played for the Giants from 1991-94.
“Willie was the best, man, the greatest I have ever seen,” McGee said. “He had all six tools. His aggressiveness, his baserunning. That is what separated him, for me, his aggressiveness and his instincts from other five-tool guys.”
When asked if Mays ever gave him any advice, McGee chuckled.
“All the time — but I don’t remember none of it,” he said.
