Major League Baseball made history on Thursday night.
The San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals played the first game at Rickwood Field, located in Birmingham, Alabama. This field was once home to the Negro League’s Birmingham Black Barons and is also where Willie Mays began his professional career.
Before the game started, Reggie Jackson shared his thoughts on returning to Rickwood Field. He played there in 1967 with the Birmingham A’s, a Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City A’s.
Here’s what he said:
Jackson spoke about how tough it was to come back due to past racism and difficulties while traveling. “The racism when I played here, the difficulty of going through different places where we traveled,” he said. “Fortunately, I had a manager and I had players on the team that helped me get through it.”
Reggie Jackson’s Experiences:
Jackson shared painful memories of being called racial slurs and denied service at restaurants and hotels . He emphasized how crucial his manager Johnny McNamara and teammates were during these times.
“If I couldn’t eat in a place, nobody would eat,” Jackson remembered about McNamara’s support. They would get food for travel or find another hotel if he couldn’t stay somewhere. He also mentioned Rollie Fingers, Dave Duncan, Joe and Sharon Rudi who let him sleep on their couch for weeks until they were threatened with violence unless he left.
Fans might feel sad hearing about these struggles but also proud of how far things have come.
Without this support system, Jackson believes he wouldn’t have survived in Birmingham: “I would’ve [gotten] killed here because I would’ve beat someone’s [butt].”
It’s a powerful reminder of what players like Jackson went through during their careers. His story adds depth as MLB honors Willie Mays’ legacy and celebrates Rickwood Field’s history.
What do you think about Reggie Jackson’s experiences?
