FIRST LOOK: Rickwood Field renovation nearly complete, in time for MLB game

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For the past six months, Birmingham’s Rickwood Field has been closed to the public.

The historic baseball park has been undergoing a transformative renovation project to get it ready for a special Regular Season contest between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants on June 20.

Read on for a first look at the renovations and details.

Built in 1910, Rickwood Field is America’s oldest professional baseball park

On August 18, 1910, a massive crowd came to see the Birmingham Barons beat the Montgomery Climbers in the first-ever game played at Rickwood Field. Built by and named for industrialist Rick Woodward, the park was the home of the Birmingham Barons and Birmingham Black Barons until the late 20th century.

“Many major leaguers have played here over the years, so if you think of a famous ballplayer, odds are he played at Rickwood.

To be able to walk on these grounds is something special. You can feel the history in these walls.”

Gerald Watkins, Chairman and Executive Director, Friends of Rickwood Field

Today, Rickwood Field hosts more than a hundred events each year, ranging from baseball camps to home games for the Miles College Golden Bears.

In 1992, care of the historic park was passed to Friends of Rickwood Field, a group of passionate fans dedicated to preserving the iconic landmark.

One such fan is Gerald Watkins, who saw his first game at Rickwood when he was ten years old.

“I’ve loved the game my whole life; I’ve coached my kid and other kids, and I’ve been involved with Friends of Rickwood Field since 1996. Being a part of this is really special.”

Gerald Watkins, Chairman and Executive Director, Friends of Rickwood Field

Renovating Rickwood Field

In June 2023, Major League Baseball (MLB) confirmed that Rickwood Field will soon be the site of a special Regular Season contest between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants. Tickets to the game became available on May 6 and sold out in under an hour.

Scheduled for June 20, 2024, the game—titled MLB at Rickwood Field: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues—will see players dressed in throwback uniforms:

• St. Louis Cardinals will wear uniforms based on the St. Louis Stars, a Negro National League team.
• San Francisco Giants will wear uniforms based on the San Francisco Sea Lions, a West Coast Negro Baseball League team.

To comply with MLB requirements for players and spectators, Rickwood Field has undergone an extensive renovation over the past six months.

These repairs and upgrades were made possible by support from public and private organizations, including the Alabama Power Foundation.

“Rickwood Field is a historic landmark on Birmingham’s west side that provides baseball fans with an experience like no other through its rich history.

We are honored to support the renovations of America’s oldest baseball park, not only for the upcoming MLB game in tribute to the Negro Leagues, but also for the future home of Miles College baseball.”

Staci Brown Brooks, President of the Alabama Power Foundation

What’s new at Rickwood Field

The newly renovated Rickwood Field will be unveiled to the public during a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) game between the Birmingham Barons and the Montgomery Biscuits on June 18.

“When people first step foot in Rickwood Field, the first thing they’re going to notice is the new field. It’ll be lighted, and it’s going to look spectacular. Everything is Major League quality.

Then, they’re going to look around and see all of the other changes we’ve made, and they’re going to be thrilled. We’ve done a great job of melding the history of this park with the new improvements that set Rickwood Field up for a solid future.”

Gerald Watkins, Chairman and Executive Director, Friends of Rickwood Field

The playing field at Rickwood was lowered by several feet, with new draining and irrigation systems topped by a natural turf. In addition:

• Dugouts have been deepened and expanded to fit 20+ players, training staff, managers + coaches.
• The outfield wall has been altered to include padding—so if a player crashes into the wall, they won’t get hurt.
• Seating options have been upgraded + ADA-compliant seating options are now available.

“Rickwood Field is so blessed and thankful to have corporate partners like Alabama Power support us in this venture. We could not have gotten this ballpark ready without the assistance of Alabama Power, so we thank them for everything they’ve done to support this endeavor.

I can’t say that this renovation is a dream come true, because I never could have dreamed anything this big.”

Gerald Watkins, Chairman and Executive Director, Friends of Rickwood Field

What is your favorite part of the Rickwood FIeld renovation? Tag @rickwood_field and @alpowerfdn to let them know!

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