The Newsletter of America’s Oldest Ballpark Volume 2, Issue 2 June 4, 2021 R ICKWOOD T ALES Rickwood Calendar: J ERRY M ALLOY C ONFERENCE 6/4/21 to 9/4/21: M OVED TO J UNE 2 - 4 , 2 0 2 2 • June: Dedication of the Women’s Suffrage marker. See our website The prestigious Jerry Malloy Friends of Rickwood are excit- open to baseball and history fans of or Facebook page for the date Negro League Conference has ed to welcome researchers all ages, promotes activities to en- • June 4: Miles College tryouts again been rescheduled. The and authors from across the hance scholarly, educational, and Conference will now take country, who will be visiting literary objectives.” For more infor- • June 5-6: Bash baseball event place June 2-4 2022 at the the Magic City for the event. mation, please visit: Sheraton Hotel in downtown • June 8: Central Alabama Baseball https://sabr.org/malloy. Academy v. Utah team Birmingham. The event was originally scheduled for 2020 According to SABR, “Since • June 12: Jennifer Weaver Vestavia to coincide with the 100th 1998, the Jerry Malloy Confer- Baseball Family Outing anniversary of the founding of ence has been the only sym- the Negro National and Negro posium dedicated exclusively • June or July: Tennessee Associa- to the examination and pro- tion of Vintage Base Ball makeup Southern Leagues. COVID-19 then postponed the confer- motion of Black baseball his- game. See our website or Facebook tory. The conference, which is page for the date ence several times. The • July 12-17: Piper Davis Baseball 6th Annual National Tournament W HO A RE T HE F RIENDS OF R ICKWOOD ? • August 18: Rickwood turns 111! P ART 4 : T HE R ICKWOOD C LASSIC B ECOMES IRMINGHAM S AVORITE AME • September: No events are cur- B ’ F G rently scheduled. See our website In our last installment, we dis- the table with a compelling standstill over a mile away. It was for updates cussed how two movies filmed at offer: Tell us how much mon- incredible, and reminiscent of Rickwood, Cobb and Soul of the ey the Barons made on day the long line of cars at the end of Game, brought much-needed games in 1995, on average, Field of Dreams, only it was real. financial assistance and atten- and if the Barons would re- Get Your Rickwood Gear! tion to the ballpark at a time turn for one glorious ‘turn People who had not been to Rick- when it was desperately needed. back the clock’ game, we • Caps, t-shirts, posters, wood in years came home wear- These films truly helped keep the would guarantee them at books, and other Rickwood ing nostalgic smiles and sharing wrecking ball at bay. However, least that much off the top, merchandise are available memories. Fans who attended the most critical date in the and then split the rest. The for purchase on our web- games as children now led their Friends of Rickwood’s efforts to funny thing was, we still owed elderly parents by the hand mak- preserve the ballpark happened Vulcan Painters $100,000 for ing sure they got a hot dog, a on June 12, 1996, when the the paint job, and had other cold drink, and a place to sit. Birmingham Barons returned for creditors clamoring, so our Many grandchildren were also in the first time since 1987 to play ‘guarantee’ was vapor. The tow as the experience of going to the Memphis Chicks in the Rick- good news was that the First the ballpark was handed down to wood Classic. Classic was a sellout [and] a new generation. grossed probably $75,000. It was easy to convince Bill to For this dream to become a reali- make it an annual event.” ty, it took a great deal of hard There were two special honorees work behind the scenes. Coke for the game. Walt Dropo trav- Matthews remembered getting The day of the first Rickwood eled from Boston and looked as the Barons to agree to the game Classic was not like anything if he might play an inning or two. was not easy. He recalled, “[I] ever experienced by fans go- At 78-years old, Piper Davis was https://rickwood.com/shop/ would give [Bill] Hardekopf (the ing to a minor league baseball slowed by time but was proud to Barons GM) the credit for finally game in Birmingham. Sure, join Dropo on the field. Both Da- agreeing to meet with the yahoos there were huge crowds for vis and Dropo had played key from Rickwood. After several Michael Jordan at the Hoover roles for two different hometown years of saying how important Met in 1994. But the Classic teams, which shared the ballpark day games were to his players was different, and the feeling (true), and how much money he was electric. Two hours before w [Continued on page 2] made (not much), we got him to the game, traffic was at a Page 2 Volume 2, Issue 2 T HE C LASSIC B ECOMES R ICKWOOD ’ S S IGNATURE E VENT [Continued from page 1] 10,334 fans jammed into the It is hard to believe that only park to relive their memories four years after a group of in the chase for championships and to make new ones. friends got together with the in 1948. The two of them, and Through six innings, the Bar- improbable idea of saving an Rick Woodward III, grandson of ons built a 3-0 lead. Mike old ballpark that the stars the park’s namesake, threw out Heathcott, Birmingham’s aligned, and the Barons came ceremonial first pitches. starting pitcher was brilliant, home. Since the Classic began pitching into the eighth. The in 1996, the Barons have re- Many others who played a part Chicks rallied with a run in the turned to Rickwood Field 23 in Rickwood’s history were there eighth and another in the times with just a few interrup- too. Norm Zauchin came to the ninth to build the drama be- game shortly after having major fore former Auburn standout tions. There was no game in surgery weeks before. Former and Barons reliever Stacy 2017 due to repairs to the player Fred Hatfield and his wife Jones closed the door for a 3- park. COVID-19 then stopped came from Florida and Willard 2 Barons victory. the game in 2020 and 2021. Having the Classic at Rickwood Nixon traveled from Georgia. Bill Greason came from a few miles is a privilege and is due to the Afterward, everyone was diligent efforts of the Logan away to meet old friends and thrilled by how popular the gladly sign autographs. family, Barons’ GM Jonathan event was with the fans. Walt Nelson, the Chicago White Sox, Art Clarkson, the former owner Dropo summed up everyone’s and the Friends of Rickwood. of the Barons was there, as well feelings to Wayne Martin of We look forward to the Classic as advertising executive John the Birmingham News, saying returning in 2022. Forney, better known as the “I look out at this park and it radio voice of Alabama football looks just the same to me. It As we said in our first article in “I look out at this park from the 1960s through the seems like just yesterday… I this series, saving the ballpark hope they do it every year.” and it looks just the early 1980s. Also on hand was is a never-ending process. In former Southern League Presi- Baron GM Bill Hardekopf was our final installment, we con- same to me. It seems like dent Jimmy Bragan. Clarkson, cautious in his comments. He clude by discussing some of Forney, and Bragan were the asked attendees to provide the challenges facing Rickwood just yesterday… I hope key people who brought base- feedback and added, “our now and in the future and what ball back to Birmingham in fans will play a big part in any we can do to preserve her for they do it every year.” 1981. Team owner Dave decision about games here at the next generation. Rickwood in the future.” The Elmore even flew in from the - Joe DeLeonard & Jeb Stewart -Walt Dropo west coast but had trouble find- fans’ overwhelming response [This story will conclude in ing the park. There were no was undeniably positive. our next issue] smartphones for directions. M AJOR L EAGUE S TATUS FOR R ICKWOOD ? On December 16, 2020, Major Negro Southern League, and the announcement, which League Baseball announced the Negro American League. impacts our favorite ballpark. that seven professional Negro 17 different Black Barons Rickwood Field was not just Leagues, which operated from seasons are now recognized the home of the Birmingham 1920-48, have finally been as being Major League years Barons but was also the designated as having “Major (1924-25, 1927-30, 1932, Black Barons’ park. Rickwood League status”. Nearly 3,500 1937, 1940-48). This means hosted Negro League all-star players who played in the Negro that Black Barons’ greats such games, playoff games, and Leagues during these years are as Sam Bankhead, Mule Sut- the Negro League World Se- now considered Major League tles, Piper Davis, Artie Wilson, ries in 1943, 1944, and players. In addition, the statis- Lyman Bostock, Sr., Bill Pow- 1948. The story of the Black tics and records for the players ell, and so many others, are Barons at Rickwood was told and clubs will be included in now being honored as former by Chris Fullerton in his book Major League Baseball’s rec- Major League players.