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By Will Glover | June 20, 2024
Photo by Vasha Hunt - AP Photo
Thursday night's special MLB game at Rickwood Field, honoring the Negro Leagues, was one of the most memorable MLB regular season games in recent memory. The victorious St. Louis Cardinals hosted the San Francisco Giants, two teams with deep ties to the Negro Leagues. This event was part of a series of special edition regular season games that MLB has begun to promote to grow the game and its rich history. Other MLB specials include the Field of Dreams game (2021-22), The Little League Classic (annually), and international games. However, Thursday's historic game stood out. MLB at Rickwood Field held significant meaning not only for diehard baseball fans but also for Black American baseball fans, both old and young.
Rickwood Field, 114 years old, is the oldest professional park in the United States and has hosted countless Negro League greats like Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson. The ballpark has weathered the storms of American history—from a post-slavery society to professional sports integration, to the Civil Rights Movement, and beyond. Rickwood Field has been a place where Black Americans could escape their hardships and focus on what united everyone: baseball. Thursday night's game, televised by FOX, narrated the rich history of the Negro Leagues, its stars, and its impact on modern American sports. Before the first pitch, FOX took viewers back into Rickwood Field's past, highlighting legends like the late Willie Mays, Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, and many more. For avid baseball fans like myself, FOX did an excellent job with storytelling, interviewing, and presenting the Negro Leagues respectfully, showcasing the journeys and hardships these players faced to compete at the Major League level while teaching the audience new and interesting facts about the League.
Personally, I loved everything about FOX's presentation of the Rickwood Field Game. From interviews with former Negro Leaguers to the on-screen displays, there was nothing to dislike about this broadcast. FOX also turned back the clock to 1954 for a black-and-white presentation with old-fashioned camera angles to depict what a broadcast looked like in the 1950s:
MLB did a fantastic job honoring the Negro Leagues and educating fans about the brave ballplayers who sought a better world.
The game began with the Cardinals scoring early, thanks to a Gorman sac fly and a 2-run blast from Alabama native Brendan Donovan in the bottom of the first:
However, the Giants' Heliot Ramos hit a 3-run homer in the top of the third, tying the game at 3. From the third inning onward, it was all St. Louis. Another Gorman sac fly, a wild pitch by Randy Rodriguez that scored Alec Burelson, and a Brendan Donovan single were all the Cardinals needed to secure the win. The Giants made one last attempt to steal the game in the ninth inning, but Ryan "Heart Attack" Helsley shut the door for his MLB-leading 25th save, leading to a final score of 6-5.
After the game, the Cardinals' Masyn Winn spoke to MLB Network's Chris Young, saying, "I took it all in today, just tried to enjoy the moment... it was unbelievable today."
As the only Black player in the Cardinals' lineup, Winn seemed to feel a deeper connection to the game's history and expressed the importance of being an inspiration to Black athletes worldwide. Winn would go on to say how "it's important to be an inspiration to Black athletes, not only in the St. Louis area but around the world." I couldn't agree more.
Baseball is and always has been meant for everyone. MLB did a beautiful job of showcasing the history of our great sport, both the good and the bad. It is crucial to market baseball to all races and cultures to grow the game we love and share. Here’s hoping this tradition continues in honor of those who came before us.
Long live The Say Hey Kid.