Everything to know about Birmingham Black Barons before MLB game at Rickwood Field

The San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals are set to square off next week in a historic game in Birmingham, Alabama. It will be the first matchup between two teams in the modern-day MLB to play a game at the former home of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League.

The Birmingham Black Barons played their home games at Rickwood Field which will host the National League matchup on June 20, 2024.

History of the Birmingham Black Barons and Rickwood Field

Birmingham, Alabama first welcomed a baseball team in 1885 with the arrival of the Coal Barons. The team then became known as the Black Barons, a staple of the Negro American League from 1924 until 1960. Through the years, 180 future Major League Baseball Hall of Famers played at Rickwood Field including Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth. The team won four pennants however they never won a championship title.

To this day, Rickwood Field is the oldest professional baseball stadium in the United States. Birmingham, Alabama is still home to a baseball team, the Double-A Birmingham Barons who are the minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The team plays their home game at nearby Regions Field.

In order to host a Major League Baseball game, Rickwood Field underwent a $5 million renovation which included resurfacing the field. An additional 10 feet was added to the outfield and the wall is now padded. New dugouts were built, digital boards were added, the batter's eye was renovated and netting was added to each foul line. There were also other improvements to ensure that Rickwood Field is accessible to all fans.

Willie Mays began his professional baseball career with the Birmingham Black Barons

World Series Champion center fielder Willie Mays began his professional baseball career at just 17 years old. After spending time playing minor league baseball in the summer, Mays went on to play for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League in 1948. Since he was still a high school student, Mays split his time between the diamond and the classroom throughout the season and still managed to hit .262. Mays helped lead Birmingham to the 1948 Negro World Series, however, they were unable to pull off the win.

Giants and Cardinals will honor Negro League with special uniforms

The San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals will start their weekend series with a game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama on June 20, 2024. When both teams take the field, they will honor the Negro Leagues in a special way with their uniforms. The San Francisco Giants will wear the San Francisco Sea Lions uniforms while the St. Louis Cardinals will honor the St. Louis Stars with their uniforms.