Rickwood Field was built in 1910 by industrialist Rick Woodward and was home to the Birmingham Coal Barons. The ballpark was modeled after Forbes Field in Pittsburgh; in fact Connie Mack designed the field’s dimensions. The ballpark opened on August 18, 1910 for a 3:30 p.m. game between the Coal Barons and the Montgomery Climbers. The Coal Barons defeated the Climbers 3-2 before a crowd of more the 10,000 fans. The Birmingham Barons continued to play at Rickwood until 1987 when they move to Birmingham’s Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
The Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues also called Rickwood Field home. Almost all of the Negro League Stars including Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Lyman Bostock, Sr. and Bill Foster played in this ballpark at one time or another. In fact the legendary Willie Mays grew up minutes away from this historic ballpark and got his start with the Black Barons as a 16-year old center-fielder on the 1948 Championship team.
Championship pennants from both teams are painted on the exterior of the ballpark behind the third base grandstand. The 1983 Barons were the last Rickwood tenants to celebrate a championship when they won the Southern League in 1983. Each year since 1996 the Barons have returned to this historic old ballpark for one afternoon contest a year, making Rickwood Field the oldest professional ballpark still in use today, a fact confirmed by the National Park Service in 1993.
The four antique light towers, similar to those at Detroit’s Old Tiger Stadium date to 1936, when Rickwood became one of the first minor league parks to host night baseball. The old light towers are 75-feet high an angle out from the roof. Rickwood also features an exact replica of the gazebo press box that was part of the 1910 structure. Today the original concrete wall that was added in 1928 is still present behind a wooden fence, 470 feet from home plate.
Today Rickwood Fields hosts The Birmingham Industrial League, Police Athletic League, and several high school varsity baseball games. Rickwood Field was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
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This historic marker is located on 12th Street in front of historic Rickwood Park. The text of this historic marker reads:
RICKWOOD FIELD
"Built by local industrialist A. H. "Rick" Woodward, this park opened on August 18, 1910. It is the oldest surviving baseball park in America. Rickwood served as the home park for both the Birmingham Barons (until 1987) and the Birmingham Black Barons (until 1963). It was also a favorite site for barnstorming Major League teams. Many greats of the game thrilled crowds here, including Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Ty Cobb, Burleigh Grimes, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Walt Dropo, and Reggie Jackson. Black Barons' sensation Satchel Paige battled Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and other legends of the Negro Leagues. And a 16-year-old rookie from Birmingham named Willie Mays led the Black Barons to their 1948 Negro American League championship here. (National Register of Historic Places February 1, 1993)"