Rickwood Field hosted some of baseball’s greatest stars in the early-to-mid 1900s, and MLB is bringing the sport back to the historic park in 2024.
Willie Mays and Satchel Paige were among the talented Negro League stars that suited up for the Birmingham Barons and Birmingham Black Barons on Rickwood Field.
Since the integration of the Negro Leagues into MLB, the field was home to the minor league clubs Birmingham Barons and Birmingham A’s.
The Cardinals and Giants will play MLB’s first game at Rickwood Field on Thursday, June 20, in celebration of Juneteenth.
Here’s what to know about Rickwood Field ahead of Thursday’s historic matchup.
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Where is Rickwood Field located?
Rickwood Field is located in Birmingham, Alabama. The field was home to the Birmingham Barons and Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues in the early-to-mid 1900s.
Now, the stadium isn’t home to any professional baseball team, but it remains open for amateur games, camps, and high school ball. The field will host its first MLB game on Thursday, June 20, a day after Juneteenth.
When was Rickwood Field built?
Rickwood Field was built on Aug. 18, 1910. It’s the oldest professional baseball stadium in the United States.
The field was named after Allen Harvey “Rick” Woodward, who owned the Coal Barons. The field’s name has remained intact for over a century.
Rickwood Field made history in 1910, becoming the first minor league stadium to be built with steel and concrete. This helped the venue last for so long, allowing for MLB to revisit the park in 2024 for a professional game.
Rickwood Field dimensions
Rickwood Field had some unorthodox dimensions when it was first created in 1910. It lined up with how ballparks were set up in the early 1900s, though it was eventually changed to meet modern baseball’s standards.
The left field wall extended to 470 feet and it was over 500 feet in center field. The right field wall, however, was just 335 feet. These dimensions have since changed to more reasonable lengths for the 21st-century baseball.
- Left field: 321 feet
- Center field: 399 feet
- Right field: 332 feet
MLB has pushed the walls back an additional 10 feet for Thursday’s game between the Cardinals and Giants. The league also shifted the entire field five feet to the left.
Fans can expect the walls to be about 331, 409, and 342 feet, respectively.
Rickwood Field capacity
Rickwood Field had a 10,800-person capacity, but that’s decreased after renovations to the field.
The capacity is about 8,300 for Thursday’s Giants vs. Cardinals game.
When did Rickwood Field last host a game?
While no professional teams play at Rickwood Field full-time, the stadium hosts over 100 games per year. High school, travel baseball, baseball camps, and HBCU Miles College play on the field.
The Giants vs. Cardinals game will be the first major league game at the field in its history.
Movies filmed at Rickwood Field
Rickwood Field was used in multiple movies throughout its history, including biopics of Jackie Robinson and Ty Cobb.
Here’s the list of movies that the field has appeared in:
- 42 (Jackie Robinson biopic)
- Cobb (Ty Cobb biopic)
- Soul of the Game
- Say Hey, Willie Mays
Rickwood Field renovations for MLB
In order for MLB to play at Rickwood Field, it had to undergo some renovations to meet major league standards.
The field is now ready after six months of renovations.
“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,” Watkins said. “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.”
Rickwood Field had its dugouts expanded, outfield extended about 10 feet, and the walls to include padding for player safety. The field was also shifted about five feet to the left.