Rickwood Field

Rickwood Field
Map
Location1137 2nd Avenue West, Birmingham, Alabama
OwnerCity of Birmingham
Capacity8,300 (10,800 before renovations)[3]
Field sizeLeft field: 325 feet (99 m)
[4]

Left center: 399 feet (122 m)
Center field: 400 feet (120 m)
[4] Right center: 370 feet (110 m)
[5] Right field: 332 feet (101 m)

Rickwood Field
Rickwood Field is located in Birmingham, Alabama
Rickwood Field
Rickwood Field is located in Alabama
Rickwood Field
Rickwood Field is located in the United States
Rickwood Field
Coordinates33°30′8″N 86°51′21″W / 33.50222°N 86.85583°W / 33.50222; -86.85583
Area12.7 acres (5.1 ha)
Built1910
NRHP reference No.92001826[6]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPFebruary 1, 1993
Designated ARLHDecember 19, 1991
SurfaceTahoma 31 Bermuda Grass[2]
Construction
Broke groundSpring 1910
OpenedAugust 18, 1910
Renovated2023–2024
Construction costUS$75,000
(US$2.45 million in 2023 dollars)[1]
Tenants
Birmingham Barons (Southern Association) – 1910–1961
Birmingham Barons (Southern League) – 1964–1965, 1981–1987, part-time 1988–present
Birmingham A's (Southern League) – 1967–1975
Birmingham Black Barons (Negro Southern League) – 1920–1924, 1926, 1931–1936, 1938–1939
Birmingham Black Barons (Negro National League) – 1925–1926, 1927–1930, 1937, 1940–1948
Birmingham Black Barons (Negro American League) – 1949–1960
Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (Spring Training) – 1911, 1920
Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) (Spring Training) – 1919
Miles College (SIAC) 2025–

Rickwood Field, located in Birmingham, Alabama, is the oldest existing professional baseball park in the United States.[7][8] It was built for the Birmingham Barons in 1910 by industrialist and team-owner Rick Woodward and has served as the home park for the Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro leagues.

Though the Barons moved their home games to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium after the 1988 season,[citation needed] Rickwood Field has been preserved and is undergoing gradual restoration as a "working museum" where baseball's history can be experienced. The Barons also play one regular season game a year at Rickwood Field.

Rickwood Field is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6] The Birmingham chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research is named after the historic ballpark.[9]

  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ "The 2024 MLB Rickwood Field Game". Legacy Turf Farms. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  3. ^ "Where is Rickwood Field located? City, capacity, and how MLB renovated Negro Leagues ballpark". The Sporting News. June 20, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "BrightView Transforms Historic Rickwood Field for MLB Special Game". brightview.com. June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  5. ^ "Rickwood 101: Everything to Know Before MLB's Negro League Tribute Game". SI.com. June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  7. ^ "About Rickwood Field". MLB. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  8. ^ Jacobson, Cole (June 17, 2024). "Mays 'would like to be there,' but unable to attend Rickwood Field game". MLB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  9. ^ "Rickwood Field Chapter (Alabama)". Society for American Baseball Research.