Steve Gann
Sandra 1100 Years Of Baseball at Rickwood Field
June 8th 2010 21:52
:
100 Years Of Baseball at Rickwood Field
This field is absolute perfection in its simplicity. Unlike the mega-stadiums of today the star is the field which glistens in the afternoon Birmingham haze. Through this haze a real fan can see the ghosts of Ty Cobb, Satchel Paige, Rogers Hornsby, and Josh Gibson limber up for the next game because surely this is Heaven for players and fans alike.
Rickwood Field was built in 1910 and has played host to thousands of games in it's 100 year history.
Opening day was on August 18, 1910, and was celebrated by businesses closing all over town to allow fans to fill the park for the first pitch at 3:30 P.M. Over 10,000 people attended that first game in which the Birmingham Barons defeated the visiting Montgomery Climbers 3-2.
Throughout the first half of the 20th century Rickwood Field hosted sellout crowds for the Barons and the Black Barons, of the Negro League, who played on alternate weekends.
During the 1920s Rickwood Field also played host to several college football games. During the 1921 season the outfield fence suffered damaged from a tornado and had to be rebuilt.
Between 1924-1927 the infield bleachers were covered with a steel-framed roof designed by Denham, VanKeuren & Denham, Architects of Birmingham. Shortly after, In 1928 a new Mission style entry structure with offices was built to the designs of Paul Wright & Co., Engineers of Birmingham. Later a new concrete outfield wall replaced the original fence.
In 1931 the park hosted the Dixie Series championship, Birmingham's 43-year-old Ray Caldwell outpitched 22-year-old Dizzy Dean, who had guaranteed a win that day. The Barons went on to win the series 4 games to 3.
In 1966 the lease was transferred to Charlie Finley, who brought the Oakland Athletics AA farm team to Birmingham for the 1967 season. That year was remembered for the day that 14,000 disappointed fans were sent home early when the Atlanta Braves vs. Southern League All-Stars exhibition game was called "on account of tornado."
in 1981 Art Clarkson brought minor league baseball back to Rickwood with the Detroit Tigers AA club, which took the Barons name. He had a new electronic scoreboard installed at the park. In 1986, the Barons became the Chicago White Sox AA club, an affiliation that continues to this day. Unfortunately in 1987 The Barons moved to a new stadium in Hoover, AL.
Since 1992 the ballpark has been under the care of the Friends of Rickwood who are restoring the facility to its former glory. The group hosts frequent amateur, police, and semi-pro games. On some nights when games are scheduled, gates are opened to allow visitors to explore the grandstands or run the bases.
Since 1996, Rickwood Field has hosted the Barons for a throwback game in which both teams wear period uniforms. Each year the teams honor a different era in Birmingham baseball history. Ballpark enthusiasts from across North America migrate to Rickwood to attend this AA regulation game, named the "Rickwood Classic," every season. Many consider this game the best opportunity to experience a regulation ballgame in an historic ballpark that remains true to its original and traditional appearance.
The ballpark has also been featured in two films, Cobb starring Tommy Lee Jones and Soul Of The Game, that tell the story of stars from the Negro Leagues like Jackie Robinson and Josh Gibson.
Cheers to the Friends of Rickwood for helping to preserve one of America's most historical stadiums.
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