The Newsletter of America’s Oldest Ballpark Volume 1, Issue 5 December 4, 2020 R ICKWOOD T ALES Rickwood Calendar T HE WICKED COVID CURVEBALL 1/12/4/20 to 3/4/21: Rickwood Field has been closed events – while at the same for a late inning rally. So, please go to bat for Rickwood • for most of 2020, essentially time, the expenses of operating Feb. 16: West Alabama v. Miles Field by making a one-time (2:00 PM) sidelining our ability to raise our historic treasure are drain- important funds needed to ing our dwindling reserves. tax-deductible gift at https:// rickwood.com/donate-to- • Feb. 20: Morehouse v. Miles maintain and refurbish Ameri- (DH) (1:00 PM) ca’s Oldest Baseball Park. We rickwood-field/ In baseball talk, COVID 19 is a had no choice but to cancel the wicked curveball. But with apol- • Feb. 24: UAH v. Miles (3:00 Rickwood Classic, our clinics, ogies to the pitchers out there, THANK YOU! PM) our tournaments, college we need our batters to step up games, and all of our corporate • High School Baseball games at Rickwood (see Rickwood.com for dates / times) W HO A RE T HE F RIENDS OF R ICKWOOD ? • Please like our Facebook Page for updates about the P ART 2 : U NSUNG H EROES W HO H ELPED S AVE ballpark, including the public reopening at: https:// A MERICA ’ S OLDEST BALLPARK www.facebook.com/ friendsofrickwood.com In our last edition, the origins of old, decaying, roofless, team- enhancements were sort of The Friends of Rickwood Field less baseball park on Birming- piecemeal and haphazard with Get Your Rickwood Gear! introduced some of the found- ham’s westside was worth any little regard to architectural or ing members of the organiza- • trouble at all was beyond far- aesthetic tastes. While the field Caps, t-shirts, posters, books, tion, along with early recollec- and other Rickwood mer- tions of how it was formed. This fetched. It was stupid. That we was still being used by the city chandise are available for are talking about this 30 plus schools for baseball, as well as purchase on our website. We installment continues with how have some great new items, the park was saved from further years later suggests at some football, Cosby believed Rick- which we are excited about. decay and even possible de- level that we did indeed take on wood’s grandstand was close to Please visit our online shop to struction. Along the way, some and succeed in convincing ‘the being razed. “It could have been browse and order: of the unsung heroes will be public’ that Rickwood was knocked down in 1992 and I introduced. These people worth saving.” https://rickwood.com/shop/ played key roles in the improve- don’t think there would’ve been ment of the park. much of an outcry.” According to Cosby, Rickwood was worthy of preservation for a Matthews was realistic about Tom Cosby and Coke Matthews couple of reasons. “It was the the restoration project. “For both explained one of the first oldest ballpark in America – those who envisioned a multi- key tasks, which needed to be and we couldn’t let another million-dollar renovation, with done by the embryonic organiza- (Birmingham) Terminal Station massive tourism, Ferris wheels, tion. “I think forming the fund- happen ever again. I think the and a return of the Birmingham raising committee that was public concluded after the Cobb Barons, we have not succeeded. chaired by Chris Womack of movie was filmed there and We realized early on that though Alabama Power was key and they could see — with movie our appetite was strong, we were involved influential people like sets and all — how beautiful a really just a bunch of old guys, Miller Gorrie. I have one of the properly restored vintage base- ‘ate up’ with nostalgia and base- original campaign brochures ball park could be and what ball. And in the minority.” somewhere,” Cosby reminisced. that would mean to civic pride.” “It wasn’t that successful, but it He added, “I do not believe we made a mark in corporate Bir- By this time, there had been ever thought we wouldn’t suc- mingham.” Mathews added a some improvements to Rick- ceed, once we got our expecta- cautionary note that “the idea wood by the Birmingham Park tions matched with reality.” that somehow a then 80-year and Recreation Board, but the [Continued on page 2] Page 2 Volume 1, Issue 5 T HE F RIENDS ’ U NSUNG H EROES [Continued from Page 1] ballpark that few others could up to the [first] Classic, see. [sometimes] sleeping in his car at Rickwood or wherever Although Rickwood escaped the someone would take him in.” wrecking ball in the early 1990s, Roughly a year or so before the and the Rickwood Classic was a first Rickwood Classic, the old tipping point in creating a new press box on Dr. Hammonds’ There was no denying the generation of fans, both Cosby roof needed to be removed. incredible dedication Fullerton and Matthews are quick to point Constructing a completely new felt toward the restoration of out that efforts to preserve the press box proved impracticable the old ballpark. However, ballpark will never end. “Of for the Friends. However, Rick- there was a tragic unforeseen course, it is never ‘saved,’ it will wood’s first executive director, event that would cut short always continue to be a battle Chris Fullerton, came up with a Fullerton’s time with The against deterioration and gravi- great solution. He advocated Friends. Matthews explained, ty,” Cosby emphasized. Mat- constructing a gazebo press “After the stunning success of thews added, “Not saved, just box, similar to the one on Rick- the Classic, we felt we had not destroyed. Still useful.” wood’s roof when the park enough money to at least give opened in 1910. Today, Fuller- him a small contract. Howev- er, he was killed in a car acci- There was luck involved in pre- ton’s gazebo still adorns the dent running ‘one last errand’ serving Rickwood. Legendary GM roof of the mother church of right before the second Rick- Branch Rickey was fond of saying baseball. wood Classic in 1997. It is still “Luck is the residue of design.” one of the saddest moments The luck was the timing of Comis- Fullerton was another early any of us have ever experi- key Park’s razing, which made unsung hero of Rickwood. His enced.” Rickwood the oldest professional name is sometimes overlooked “Chris Fullerton ballpark. The design was accom- in the history of The Friends plished by several men who the because his time associated Fullerton’s master’s thesis, ‘inspired all who knew had vision to form The Friends of with the organization was rela- which he authored at the Uni- Rickwood. Then, they added an tively short. However, the quality versity of Mississippi, eventu- additional step—action by some of that time was an exemplary ally became one of the early him with his passion for unsung heroes. example of production, accom- books on the ballpark and its life, for music, baseball, plishment, and a can-do spirit of importance in the Negro Leagues. Every Other Sunday: Certainly, the Friends had a lot of optimism to work through all The Story of the Birmingham and Rickwood, his own help in the early days as a fledg- kinds of adversity. Black Barons was completed ling organization. There was one and published after his death. field of dreams.’” person, who had a clear vision Perhaps the best person to de- for what the ballpark could be. scribe Fullerton’s importance to Dr. Cleveland Hammonds, Jr., the early days of The Friends of The gazebo press box, which former Superintendent of Bir- Rickwood and the park is Coke sits on the roof as a result of mingham Schools was instru- Matthews. “Not too long before his suggestion, will always mental in getting an appropria- the first Rickwood Classic in honor his memory. The tion to replace the roof on the 1996, Chris called Slaughter Friends gathered on the roof ballpark. “He was a fearless Hanson and offered to volun- during a driving rainstorm friend of Rickwood before it was teer, to do anything, everything. when the bas-relief of Fuller- so fashionable to love Rick- He called and called. He drove ton was dedicated and sang wood,” remembered Matthews. over from Mississippi and “Take Me Out to the Ball He even proposed city high begged,” Matthews recalled. Game.” The inscription on the school teams adopt the names plaque in the gazebo states, of Negro League clubs and wear Chris Fullerton “inspired all throwback uniforms during Recounting Fullerton’s unbri- who knew him with his pas- games. dled enthusiasm for Rickwood sion for life, for music, base- and his desire to be part of the ball, and Rickwood, his own revitalization effort, Matthews field of dreams.” Dr. Hammonds left Birmingham continued, “he had just finished in 1994 and eventually became his master’s thesis on the Bir- a professor at Southern Illinois mingham Black Barons. He was [This story will continue in University Edwardsville. He died all-in. Of course, he had no mon- our next issue] in September 2010. We all owe a ey, no place to live, [and] no debt of gratitude to Dr. Ham- sense whatsoever, but we loved monds, who had the foresight him from day one. He volun- - Joe DeLeonard & Jeb Stewart and an understanding of the old teered 24/7 for months leading Rickwood Tales Page 3 F ROM THE R ICKWOOD A RCHIVES “The Friends are excited to begin unveiling many of the photographs in Photo Credit: The Birmingham News, 1953.