Watch: Oldest living former Negro League legend Bill Greason delivers first pitch at Rickwood Field 

The buildup to Thursday's game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants saw the oldest living former Negro League legend Bill Greason throw the ceremonial first pitch of the game. Two days after the death of Willie Mays, one of the most legendary baseball players of the Negro League and MLB, his former teammate paid tribute to the rich history of the league.

While dozens of former Negro League stars attended the game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama to honor their part in the history of the league, a 99-year-old Greason made headlines with the ceremonial first pitch of the evening.

Born in Atlanta in 1924, Bill Greason enlisted in the US Marine Corps during World War II and returned after the war to start his professional baseball career. He played for the Birmingham Black Barons from 1948 to 1951, where he was teammates with Willie Mays. The right-handed pitcher then joined the minor leagues in 1952 and went on to play for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954.

After his playing career, Greason became a Baptist minister in Birmingham, where was preaching until 2023. He is now the oldest living player from the Negro Leagues at 99 years of age, but still managed to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the game.

Starting with adding the Negro League statistics into the MLB record books, the league has recently taken several steps to celebrate its rich history. Thursday's game at Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in the country, the baseball community come together to honor the legacy of all former Black players in the league.

Bill Greason recalls his days in Negro Leagues after ceremonial first pitch at Rickwood Park

After throwing the ceremonial first pitch of Thursday's game at Rickwood Park, Bill Greason spoke to Ken Rosenthal about his days as a professional player. He took the time to share some stories about former teammate Willie Mays and how much the league has grown since his time with the St. Louis Cardinals. When asked about playing baseball in the era of segregation, he said:

"We didn't allow segregation to stop us from playing, from using our talents and gifts for what we were there for."

MLB has come a long way since those days but it is still important to honor the journey and the people who have been a part of it. Greason is now the second oldest living major league player in the world and the candidate to represent and celebrate the game's storied history.