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Rickwood Field was the home of the Birmingham Barons of the Southern League.
If you asked people to name the oldest baseball stadium in the United States, most would say Wrigley Field in Chicago or Fenway Park in Boston. They would be wrong. Rickwood Field was built in 1910.
It was home to many teams, including minor league baseball, the legendary Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro League, as well as the powerful industrial leagues that flourished in the 20s, 30s, and 40s.
The local AA team, the Barons, left crumbling Rickwood in 1987 for a shiny new stadium across town. For a time it looked like Rickwood would go the way of most old ballparks and meet the wrecking ball, but a group of citizens banded together and had the stadium declared an historic landmark. After years of fundraising and recreation, Rickwood was ready again for action. Starting in 1996, the Barons have played one game each year in their old home, the Rickwood Classic. This is not an exhibition, but an official game.
The wonderful thing about the Classic is not just the location; the game is a time machine to an era before dizzy bat races, sound effects, hip hop, and ear-shattering PA systems telling us when to clap and when to cheer. There's nothing but a little gentle swing music between innings and the PA announcer telling us who the next batter is.
Without all of the modern hullabaloo, baseball returns to its pastoral roots. Fans relax, chat, and keep score of the game, free of the sensory overload that modern baseball organizations feel compelled to rain down on their customers.
Pre-arranged press passes gave us access to all areas of the park. We went on the roof, onto the field, and into the scoreboard. Everyone was friendly as we all gently roasted in the Alabama sunshine and savoured the day.
Though not generally famous, for ballpark lovers, Rickwood Field is a pilgrimage that must be made. It was worth every mile we traveled to get there.
