Never Ignore History

 

I'm sadly willing to bet the ratings will be low. I hope I'm wrong.

That's a harsh reality of baseball in 2024.

But, again, nobody gets history like baseball does.

Oh, how we -- they -- have tried to ruin this great game. You name it, they've done it.

Take your pick. Ghost runner on second base, pitch clock, permanent designated hitters, etc. Beyond that, there are ugly uniforms, obscene ticket prices, labor issues, egotistical umpires, and so on.

Some people don't have complaints and some people have completely walked away from baseball.

I say it all the time. The game needs players and fans and people to spread the word. The biggest gripe is that it's "boring." It's only boring if you don't understand it.

I understand it. Intensely.

Tonight, in Birmingham, AL baseball is being played at a site that first opened in 1910.

Tonight, it's the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals. They're two teams who are, of course, thankfully integrated.

Once upon a time, Rickwood Field was home to segregated baseball. Blacks and whites couldn't play together in Birmingham until 1963.

Thus, Rickwood Field hosted many Negro League games.

As a result, tonight is a richly deserved celebration of the Negro Leagues.

It's also, of course, a celebration of the life of Willie Mays. Born in Westfield, outside of Birmingham, Mays first played professionally at Rickwood for the Birmingham Black Barons.

Baseball has embraced more of these types of events. Back in 2021, the Yankees and White Sox played at the Field of Dreams site in Dyersville, IA. MLB has also played at Williamsport, PA in conjunction with the Little League World Series.

Baseball has further stepped outside of the box by playing games in London as well as the Fort Bragg Game in North Carolina in 2016. I got to see that site when I visited there a month after the game took place.

It's important to honor the past, probably more in baseball than any other sport. The danger, of course, is living in the past.

But it wasn't that long ago the players talked of now knowing who Jackie Robinson was. Obviously, education has gone a long way toward explaining Robinson's impact on the history of the United States. In his case, knowing the details of what kind of player Jackie was isn't as important as knowing the quality of the man he was and what he meant for society.

What strikes me about tonight's game and broadcast is the eloquence of those who have spoken. Some of what I've heard has been incredibly compelling, led by Reggie Jackson, who told stories of the racism he faced, including using "the N-word" that took my breath away.

It's a shameful part of our past and, sadly, in some places, still a reality.

To that end, there aren't enough people of color in the dugouts tonight, a fact that baseball is dealing with on a continuous basis.

That doesn't take away from what feels like a good night in Alabama.

And baseball needs more nights like this.