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**Birmingham to Unveil Exhibit Honoring Baseball Legend Willie Mays**

**Birmingham, AL –** The City of Birmingham is set to honor the life and legacy of Alabama native and baseball icon Willie Mays with a new exhibit at the Negro Southern League Museum (NSLM). The unveiling ceremony will take place on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at 12:00 PM in the City Council Chambers at Birmingham City Hall.

The exhibit, a collaborative effort between the NSLM, the City of Birmingham, and the Center for Negro League Baseball Research (CNLBR), aims to celebrate Mays’s remarkable career and impact, both on and off the field. Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson is sponsoring the event, which is curated by Dr. Layton Revel, Executive Director of the CNLBR, whose persistent advocacy has helped bring renewed attention to one of America’s greatest athletes.

The unveiling comes amidst a resurgence of interest in Mays and the history of Black baseball. Following Major League Baseball’s tribute to the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in June 2024, where Mays began his professional career with the Birmingham Black Barons, the focus on his contributions has intensified. Recent events include the East-West All-Star Classic at Rickwood Field on Juneteenth. In addition, Willie Mays Park in Fairfield, has undergone a significant renovation, spearheaded in part by Mays’s son, Michael.

Born in Westfield, Alabama, in 1931, Mays rose through the ranks of the Negro Southern League, playing for the Chattanooga Choo-Choos and later the Birmingham Black Barons. His exceptional talent caught the attention of major league scouts, and in 1950, he signed with the New York Giants, becoming a household name and one of the highest-paid athletes in America.

Despite achieving national acclaim, Mays’s relationship with his hometown was complex. It was only decades later, under the leadership of Birmingham’s first Black mayor, Dr. Richard Arrington, Jr., that he received formal recognition. In his later years, Mays would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal.

The NSLM, founded in 2015, is dedicated to preserving the history of Black baseball, with a focus on the Negro Southern League. The Willie Mays exhibit promises to be a significant addition to its collection, further cementing Birmingham’s role in baseball history.

(Media Contact information omitted for brevity)

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