Willie Mays' death "transformed Birmingham’s tribute to the Negro Leagues into a national spectacle"Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Josh Rawitch, President of the National Baseball HOF and Museum, was driving to the airport with Willie Mays’ HOF plaque in the car when he
got the word that Mays had died. The plaque was set up in Rickwood Field’s usual on-site merchandise area, the first time it had been taken off the wall in Cooperstown since it went up in 1979. Rawitch and several security staffers kept an eye on it as fans posed for pictures alongside it. It’s rare that a plaque leaves Cooperstown, but bringing the plaques to the masses who can’t get to upstate New York might not be such a bad idea.
- Bob Kendrick of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum was at Rickwood not just to honor the Negro Leagues’ past but to plan for his museum’s future. He is in the midst of trying to raise “$25-30 million” for a new museum that would be built around the corner from the current one in K.C. Plans for the new venue were announced last May, and Kendrick said he is in “the silent phrase of raising money. No one has turned me down yet, which is a good thing, because I can’t sneak up on them.”
Kendrick, who “wanted to be Henry Aaron” while playing sandlot ball growing up in tiny Crawfordville, Ga., said he is “most certain” that MLB, a longtime partner of the museum, will make a contribution. “We hope all 30 teams and the players’ association will be involved too.”
Crawford of course will be looking everywhere he can to raise the funds for what he says will be “an international headquarters for both Balck baseball and social history."
“As long as it ain’t illegal, we’ll take it,” he said.
OTHER COVERAGE FROM RICKWOOD:
- Ted Keith on his family ties to the game
- Fox carries retro broadcast during Rickwood game
- MLB game at Rickwood Field poised to honor Negro Leagues history
