Rickwood Field (Black Barons)
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- Rickwood FieldBirmingham · AL
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Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, opened in 1910 and is the oldest professional ballpark in the United States. The Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro leagues made it their home, and a teenage Willie Mays began his pro career with them here in 1948. In June 2024, MLB played a regular-season game between the Giants and Cardinals at Rickwood to honor Mays and the Negro leagues. Today: Still standing, and Miles College plays its home games here.
For games there today, see Rickwood Field.
Ballpark facts
- Location
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Opened
- 1910
- Major league years
- 1923–1948 (Negro leagues), plus MLB’s 2024 tribute game
- Team
- Birmingham Black Barons
- Today
- Still standing; home of Miles College baseball
Ballparks near Rickwood Field (Black Barons)10
- 1D-IJerry D. Young Memorial Field — UAB Blazers same city
- 2D-IJoe Lee Griffin Stadium — Samford Bulldogs 0 mi
- 3Double-ARegions Field — Birmingham Barons same city
- 4D-IIRickwood Field — Miles Golden Bears same city
- 5JUCORoy W. Johnson Field — Lawson State Cougars 10 mi
- 6D-IIKermit A. Johnson Field at Bob Riesener Stadium — Montevallo Falcons 27 mi
- 7JUCOJames C. Bailey Stadium — Wallace State Lions 37 mi
- 8NAIASilsby Baseball Field — Talladega Tornadoes 43 mi
- 9JUCOBuc Palace — Shelton State Buccaneers 44 mi
- 10D-ISewell–Thomas Stadium — Alabama Crimson Tide 44 mi
Questions about Rickwood Field (Black Barons)
Who played at Rickwood Field in the Negro leagues?
The Birmingham Black Barons, whose stars included a teenage Willie Mays in 1948.
Did MLB ever play at Rickwood Field?
Yes. The Giants and Cardinals played a regular-season game here on June 20, 2024, to honor Willie Mays and the Negro leagues.
What other ballparks are near Rickwood Field (Black Barons)?
The ballpark still stands. For games there today, see Rickwood Field. The full list of nearby ballparks is on this page.
Facts are for the 2026 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. See something wrong? Let us know.