 | |
 | |
| Location | 1137 2nd Avenue West, Birmingham, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Owner | City of Birmingham |
| Capacity | 8,300 (10,800 before renovations)[3] |
| Field size | Left field: 325 feet (99 m) [4] Left center: 399 feet (122 m) |
Rickwood Field | |
    | |
| Coordinates | 33°30′8″N 86°51′21″W / 33.50222°N 86.85583°W |
| Area | 12.7 acres (5.1 ha) |
| Built | 1910 |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001826[6] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 1, 1993 |
| Designated ARLH | December 19, 1991 |
| Surface | Tahoma 31 Bermuda Grass[2] |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | Spring 1910 |
| Opened | August 18, 1910 |
| Renovated | 2023–2024 |
| Construction cost | US$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]
- ^ 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.
- ^ "The 2024 MLB Rickwood Field Game". Legacy Turf Farms. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Where is Rickwood Field located? City, capacity, and how MLB renovated Negro Leagues ballpark". The Sporting News. June 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "BrightView Transforms Historic Rickwood Field for MLB Special Game". brightview.com. June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Rickwood 101: Everything to Know Before MLB's Negro League Tribute Game". SI.com. June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "About Rickwood Field". MLB. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
- ^ Jacobson, Cole (June 17, 2024). "Mays 'would like to be there,' but unable to attend Rickwood Field game". MLB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
- ^ "Rickwood Field Chapter (Alabama)". Society for American Baseball Research.