Rickwood embodies baseball’s past, present and future
By Meg Robinson
H
ow can a building transform a town without changing its appearance? Although it was built over a century ago, the oldest functioning baseball field in America is filled with a rich history that refuses to stop building upon itself.
Rickwood Field serves as a gathering place for people to allow themselves to get lost in the beautiful game of baseball.
“People came here [Rickwood], and they came to be entertained and watch baseball, not to have troubles,” Rickwood Chairman and Executive Director Gerald Watkins said. “That’s something that we can certainly feel good about for Birmingham, that this was a place that brought people together.”
Rickwood is an iconic landmark for Birmingham and baseball lovers around the country. Birmingham native Daveon Lavender, pitcher for HBCU Miles College said, “A lot of famous people played there and paved the way for us.” Fans would flock to see baseball stars like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Jackie Robinson compete.
Remembering the Past
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he venue was built in 1910 and served as a home to the minor league Birmingham Barons. Ten years later, Rickwood added a second team: the Birmingham Stars of the Negro Southern League, which operated as a minor league. They were soon renamed the Birmingham Black Barons and reclassified into the Negro National League.
Because of the racial segregation at the time, fans were separated as they watched the white Barrons and the Black Barrons play. The teams shared the stadium, rotating games every weekend. When the white Barons played, all sections but one were cordoned off for the white fans. Conversely, when the Black Barons played, all sections but one were set aside for the African American fans. Contrary to the racial violence that Birmingham is notorious for, Watkins proudly remarked that “there is no record of any racial aggression or strife at Rickwood Field.”
In 1948, the Black Barons recruited a 17-year-old high schooler from Westfield, Alabama who transformed the game as they knew it: Willie Mays. Because he was still in high school, Mays only played at Rickwood and not in road games in order continue in his education. Mays appeared in 17 games for the Barons and batted just .233 while playing the outfield corners. “Willie Mays did everything at a high level, and that’s what made him so special,” Watkins said. Willie Mays was an inspiration on and off the field. He walked onto Rickwood with a dream to become great and became one of the best to ever play. His quick jumps, blazing speed and remarkable range allowed Mays to dazzle the Rickwood like no other outfielder in baseball history. “Everybody wanted to be like Willie, everyone wanted to play like Willie, it’s such a common name,” Miles outfielder Kolby King said. “Especially for African American baseball players and our history, it was always important.”
Watkins reflected on Mays’ impact on his life, saying, “Growing up, it was always important to me to find out about players who came from our area, because in my little league mind, I was thinking, ‘if somebody from Fairfield can be in the big leagues, why can’t I?’”
In 1962, the newly integrated Southern league was formed. The white Barons decided they would not place a team on the field rather than join the league.
When this was announced, the city of Birmingham was heartbroken that their favorite teams would no longer grace the four bases. Two years later, the segregated signage was taken down, making Rickwood one of the first public places in Birmingham to integrate.
Progress in the Present
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s the years went by, Rickwood became home to college and community events alike. In 2012, the critically acclaimed film “42” was shot there. The production crew created replicas of jerseys and lockers for the film, some of which are now on display at the gift shop at Rickwood. It is also home to Miles’ home games.
Hosting their home games at Rickwood is a massive recruitment tool for the team. Milton Barney, the head baseball coach at Miles, remarked that “players do their homework before coming here.” Barney’s players do not take the field for granted either. “The school, the city, the community, everything we do, it’s around Rickwood,” Lavender said. “Every time I get to go, I just take it all in and take a deep breath.”
Although the weddings, college games, and little league matches held at Rickwood honored the field’s legacy, Watkins had something bigger in mind. “I reached out to Major League Baseball, and I said, ‘this is a true Field of Dreams. This is not just a movie site,’” Watkins said. “This is where a young Willie Mays dreamed of the big leagues.” With the help of the city of Birmingham, 5 million dollars was raised to complete the necessary renovations required by Major League Baseball to put the field in perfect shape.
On June 20, 2024, the first regular season major league baseball game ever held in the state of Alabama was played on Rickwood Field. Two days before the game, the legend Willie Mays passed away. Mays’ impact on the sport of baseball was monumental. There was no better way to honor his life than through dedicating the MLB game to his memory. “It was definitely a sad time on the field, it changed the whole dynamic of the game,” Miles outfielder Kolby King said.
The major league game was centered around commemorating the Negro League heritage in Birmingham, as well as celebrating the life of Mays. During the game, the former Black Barons were invited on the field to be recognized. When they played, they were not allowed to go to the concessions stand area because of segregation laws at the time.
Watkins thought it was extremely heartwarming to see the players receive some well-deserved recognition at last.
“Prior to the game, nobody knew who they were, with a couple of exceptions,” Watkins said. “But, that one day, they became celebrities. It was very fun and rewarding to see that happen to them.”
The Miles players in attendance received VIP locker room and field access to witness this historical moment.“You could feel the history and the things they had to overcome just to play the game that we’re playing now,” King said.
Their coach was also inspired by the sight of the players being honored. “We got a chance to talk to a couple of the guys, which they were excited, you know, for us to be able to play in the park,” Barney said. “It’s amazing to see where the game of baseball was to where it is now.”
The game was monumental for residents of Birmingham. All 8,100 tickets were sold, and the players had a worldwide network audience that was the largest MLB ever had for a weeknight game. The economic impact was more than 10 million dollars for the city.
“It was an event that, for me, was something I’ll never forget as long as I live. And people ask me if it was a bucket list item, and I would say, not really, because I never dreamed of doing that,” Watkins said.
Rickwood has always attracted visitors from across the country, but since the MLB game, the number has increased exponentially. “For instance, on a single day, visitors came from Orlando, Atlanta, Tulsa, Texas, and California all visited Rickwood,” Negro Leagues Historian Art Black said.
Moving Forward
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ooking to the future of Rickwood, Barney has big plans. After the MLB game took place, Barney coordinated with Michael Mays, Willie Mays’ son, to create the Willie Mays Open. It is scheduled to take place in February 2025. The Open is being held to localize baseball and encourage the community of Birmingham to fall more in love with baseball, as well as continuing to honor the life of the legendary Willie Mays.
Participating colleges will include Miles College, Claflin University, Dillard University, Harris Stowe University, Southern University of New Orleans and Stillman College. “There’s nothing happening in this city like this in February, and it’s Black History Month, so we’re trying to just put together an amazing event that can keep going for years to come, even after I’m gone,” Barney said.
Rickwood is a field of dreams for the entire city of Birmingham, not just the 182 Hall of Famers who walked its grounds. The field made it possible for baseball lovers like Watkins to see a sport he loves and create an outlet to let other people enjoy it just as much as he does. Watkins said, “I’ve often thought about getting a sign and putting it above the door that would say, ‘182 Hall of Famers have played here,” Will you be the next one?’”
From middle school travel-ball games to middle aged fantasy leagues, Rickwood Field serves as a stage for the Willie Mays of the future. There, they can to learn about the rich history of the sport, show off the hard work they train for every day, and find freedom to chase their dreams in pursuit of the beautiful game of baseball.
