While Rickwood Field witnessed a historic event on Thursday, it also opened up some old wounds. Though baseball has come a long way since the segregation days, the journey wasn’t easy. Despite some of the greatest players like Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays already being there, players of color had to face racism from time to time. The legendary Reggie Jackson put everyone’s attention to that fact after sharing a story of the terrible racism he faced during his time in Alabama.

Reggie Jackson had played in the Rickwood Field during his minor league days. As part of the Kansas City Athletics’ Double-A team Birmingham A’s. Due to being one of the only black players on the team, Jackson was a target of some horrendous racist slurs. During his appearance in Fox’s pre-game panel, Jackson remembered this traumatic past.

“Coming back here is not easy,” Jackson said. “The racism when I played here, the difficulty of going through different places where we traveled. Fortunately, I had a manager and players on the team that helped me get through it. But I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.” The legend then said that he wouldn’t want to experience any of that again. Later, he went into detail regarding the horrible racism that surrounded him.

“I would walk into restaurants and they would point at me and say, ‘A (N-word) can’t eat here.’ I would go into a hotel and they’d say, ‘The (N-word) can’t stay here,’” Reggie Jackson said. “We went to Charlie Finley’s (Former A’s owner) country club for a welcome home dinner, and they pointed me out with the N-word. ‘He can’t come in here.’ Finely marched the whole team out.” 

Jackson’s account was another reminder of the struggles that black players faced for all those years. It’s a testament to their inner strength that they became legends while facing such comments. However, Reggie Jackson also explained why the Late Great Willie Mays holds such an important place in his life.

Reggie Jackson pays a heartfelt tribute to Willie Mays 

New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter pulled up his phone while talking to Jackson. Jeter then revealed a text from Jackson to him after Willie Mays’ passing. “We all wanted to be like Willie…He was pure baseball, my all-time favorite. I loved the guy, I wanted to be like Willie,” Jackson’s text read. Later Jeter asked Reggie Jackson how Willie Mays affected his career.

“I learned to wear my uniform the way Willie Mays did,” Jackson revealed. It was a tiny thing but it explained the deep impact that Mays had on baseball players then. Later Jackson explained how the “love of the game” that Willie Mays embodied was inspiring. Mays showed Jackson and everyone watching “how to play the game.” And that was Jackson was a huge thing.

Despite facing such horrific racist moments, Reggie Jackson transformed into one of the greatest players in all of baseball. His 5x World Series wins and 2x World Series MVP award a proof of that. And now with the league finally honoring the Negro Leagues – things are certainly moving in the right direction.