Do you have a baseball enthusiast in your family? Did you know Rickwood Field, located in Birmingham, Al., is the oldest baseball field in the United States? It's amazing what you can learn simply by looking around a city near your home. So maybe it's time to take a road trip to your Birmingham.
Rickwood Field's grand opening day was August 18th, 1910! It was created from the baseball passion of Rick Woodward, a Birmingham industrialist. While still he was only in his 20s Woodward bought controlling interest in the city's professional baseball team, the Coal Barons. He then sought help from the legendary Connie Mack in designing "The Finest Minor League Ballpark Ever". Woodward's passion wore off on the entire community, the whole city shut down in honor of the park's opening day, August 18, 1910. Since 1910 over 110 Hall of Famers have stepped onto this field. The Yankees and Babe Ruth were frequent visitors. Rogers Hornsby, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, and Dizzy Dean were other big names that played there. Every year in May, Rickwood Field hosts a game, called the Rickwood Classic, to honor the hall of fame players from another era. Be sure to put Rickwood Field on your to do list!
Another place to visit in Birmingham for more baseball, is Regions Field, where the Birmingham Barons call home! The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team and is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Be sure to visit the web site for schedules and special events.
As you can see Birmingham is rich in baseball history, and a great place to learn about some of this history is at the Birmingham Negro Southern League Museum. The Negro Southern League was created in 1920 by a group of African-American businessmen and baseball enthusiasts. The mission of the Negro Southern League Museum is to present the history of African-American baseball in an unsurpassed manner by maintaining a world-class facility that recognizes the League's impact on Birmingham, Alabama and the world of professional baseball. The museum first opened in 2015 and is located in the heart of Birmingham, this is a must see for the baseball enthusiast! Admission is free!
Be sure to check out Baseball Lover's Road Trip at http://www.kimstoyota.com/summer-road-trip-birmingham.htm