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Giants artifacts from Rickwood Field game displayed in Hall of Fame originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Giants’ memorable game against the St. Louis Cardinals at historic Rickwood Field now has a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Among the artifacts to be displayed in Cooperstown from San Francisco and St. Louis’ unforgettable matchup are dirt from the Rickwood Field infield, the cap worn by Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn during the game, the Giants’ dugout lineup card with a nod to Willie Mays and the ball from the ceremonial first pitch thrown by Negro League legend Bill Greason.
Located in Birmingham, Ala., Rickwood Field is the oldest existing professional ballpark in the United States and previously was the longtime home of the Negro League’s Birmingham Black Barons, where Mays starred before becoming a Giants icon.
St. Louis and San Francisco’s contest at Rickwood occurred just two days after Mays’ passing, with both teams and MLB honoring the legendary center fielder’s unparalled impact on the game of baseball.
The game also celebrated the Negro Leagues and its players, paying homage to the heroes who revolutionized baseball forever with their contributions to the game.
While the Giants lost 6-5, Heliot Ramos cherished the opportunity to play center field in the same outfield Mays used to patrol.
“It’s a privilege for sure,” Ramos told reporters after the game. “It’s not a secret to everybody that Willie was one of the greats. So, it’s a privilege, it’s an honor and I hope his family liked it today.”
Ramos delivered a memorable moment of his own in Mays’ former stomping grounds, launching a three-run homer over Rickwood’s right field wall.
While the players involved always will cherish their once-in-a-lifetime experience at Rickwood, the exhibit in Cooperstown now gives fans the opportunity to relish the historic game.
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