By Sarah Kuper
Rickwood Field in downtown Birmingham is the oldest surviving professional baseball stadium in the U.S.
Long before the modern Regions Field was constructed in 2013, baseball greats got their start as a member of the Baron’s, the A’s or the Black Barons – all teams that called Rickwood Field home.
The field primarily functions as a museum and event space now, but on June 1, the Barons will return to the field for the 21st annual Rickwood Classic.
The team will don vintage-style uniforms and compete against defending Southern League Champions the Chattanooga Lookouts.
The event is a celebration of the field and the team’s historic past going back to 1910, when the Birmingham “Coal Barons” first took the field.
The annual game also recognizes the many Baseball Hall of Famers who played with the Barons on their way to the major leagues.
Examples include Harold “Pie” Traynor, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1948, Burleigh Grimes, inducted in 1964, and Frank Thomas, inducted in 2013.
Former Birmingham A’s pitcher Rollie Fingers will be the guest of honor at this year’s classic. Fingers, a three-time World Series pitcher, will be available after the game for photographs.
In addition to his success on the field, Fingers is famous for his waxed handlebar mustache.
The game begins at noon and tickets can be purchase at the park for $10.
