Sculpture of Willie Mays unveiled at Regions Field
Hometown legend Willie Mays became a permanent fixture at Regions Field on Wednesday, July 20, as a bronze statue of him making an iconic catch was unveiled on the 14th Street side of Regions Field.
The Alabama-Mississippi Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society commissioned Birmingham artists Caleb O’Connor and Craig Wedderspoon to make it as a tribute to Don Logan, the current Birmingham Barons owner named 2015 Legacy of Leadership honoree. He is also the former Time Inc. CEO.
Mays, born in west Jefferson County, formerly played with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues before he was signed by the New York Giants of Major League Baseball. He turned into one of the greatest baseball players of all time, hitting 660 career home runs, and is always remembered for his iconic over-the-shoulder basket catch in the 1954 World Series.
The Legacy of Leadership campaign was created in 1997 to honor community leaders who bettered Birmingham lives through creative problem solving. All additional money raised through the campaign goes to aid the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and its goals to eliminate MS.
"The campaign basically honors movers and shakers of Birmingham," MS Director of Development Jennifer Ely said.
This is the 17th year of the campaign and various art installments have been unveiled around the Birmingham area. Frank McPhillips, part of the Logan Legacy Committee, said that the groundbreaking research that the Legacy of Leadership has provided over the years have aided countless lives in finding new medications for such a difficult and complicated disease like Multiple Sclerosis. He also said that although there isn't a cure, there are now seven medications used to slow the disease.
"Willie had alligator tears when it saw it," said former Major League player and Titusville baseball youth head coach Ron "Papa Jack" Jackson.
Willie Mays also donated equipment to the Titusville baseball program, which was presented at the award ceremony.
"I am so proud at this time in my life; to be able to look back over the years, but also to be able to look forward, knowing that I will always have a presence in Birmingham," Willie Mays said in a statement read by Michelle Watkins.