|
PARK ::: RICKWOOD FIELD
LOCATION ::: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
MY FIRST VISIT ::: JULY 4, 2006
MY TAKE ON THE PARK
I NEVER LIKE TO GO TO PARKS UNLESS THERE IS A GAME GOING ON,
IN THE CASE OF RICKWOOD FIELD, I ONLY HAVE ONE OPPORTUNITY A YEAR TO SEE A GAME. I DON'T KNOW IF I AM HAPPY OR JUST LUCKY
THAT I MADE AN EXCEPTION WITH RICKWOOD FIELD.
SOMETHING I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM PRIOR TO MY VISIT
WAS THE EXTENSIVE BASEBALL HISTORY THIS CITY HAS. I WOULD HAVE TO COMPARE THE HISTORY TO THAT OF NEW YORK, BOSTON, OR CHICAGO.
DIFFERENCE
IN BIRMINGHAM IS THE HISTORY IS OF HISTORIC PLAYERS BEFORE THEY WERE MAJOR LEAGUERS. RICKWOOD FIELD HAS SEEN
THEM ALL, FROM AARON TO MAYS, COBB TO RUTH, ALL OF THESE GREATS HAVE PLAYED A GAME IN RICKWOOD FIELD.
AS AN ASIDE, 'GOOGLE' RICKWOOD FIELD AND BOB SEGER, LYNARD
SKYNARD, OR KISS AND YOU MAY FIND A CLASSIC STORY ON LINE WITH A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
RICKWOOD FIELD CURRENTLY IS ONLY USED FOR THE "RICKWOOD CLASSIC",
AN OFFICIAL SOUTHERN LEAGUE GAME WHERE THE BARONS ANNOUNCE A SPECIFIC THEME
FOR THE GAME EARLY IN THE YEAR. ALSO, VARIOUS
ORGANIZED LEAGUES USE THIS PARK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. OTHERWISE, RICKWOOD FIELD IS OPEN FOR TOURISTS TO VISIT.
UPON ARRIVING AT RICKWOOD FIELD, YOU ARE ABLE TO TAKE A SELF
GUIDED TOUR OF THE PARK. IF YOU THINK THIS PLACE IS ONLY ABOUT WHO HAS PLAYED HERE, YOU ARE MISTAKEN. THERE IS SO MUCH
MORE HERE, FROM THE LIGHT TOWERS TO
THE COVERED GRANDSTAND, THE MANUALLY OPERATED SCOREBOARD IN LEFT TO THE MISSING SEATS
IN RIGHT FIELD. AFTER READING THE SELF GUIDED TOUR BOOK YOU SEE NOT ONLY WHY THE SEATS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE
GRANDSTAND
BUT ALSO WHY THEY WERE UNCOVERED. IN A WAY, IT IS JUST SURPRISING TO SEE JUST HOW FAR THIS COUNTRY HAS COME, OR SHOULD
I SAY HOW FAR BACK WE WERE JUST 50 YEARS AGO.
MY FAVORITE PART OF THIS TOUR WAS STANDING ON THE PITCHERS MOUND.
A
MOUND ROLLIE FINGERS PITCHED FROM IN THE LATE 60s, BEFORE THE DAYS OF THE HANDLE BAR MUSTACHE. TO ME, I CAN'T CONVEY HOW EXCITED
I AM THAT
THIS PARK IS STILL USED BY THE BARONS AND WITH THE EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS BEING DONE TO PRESERVE THE PLACE,
IT SHOULD BE AROUND FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
A TRIP TO RICKWOOD FIELD IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR EVEN THE MOST
CASUAL BASEBALL FAN. MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS TO LEAVE YOURSELF TIME TO ENJOY THIS GEM, I FOUND IT VERY EASY TO JUST GET LOST
STANDING IN FRONT OF THE DUGOUT HERE. THIS FEELING OF GETTING LOST IN YOUR THOUGHTS HAPPENS ON
MORE THAN ONE OCCASION WHICH
I FEEL MAY BE THE GREATEST ASPECT OF THIS PARK.
I NEVER SAW A GAME AT RICKWOOD FIELD, I AM EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT
PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, I HAD NOT HEARD OF RICKWOOD FIELD.
TODAY, I AM LOOKING TO PLAN A VACATION BACK TO ALABAMA POSSIBLY
AROUND THE RICKWOOD CLASSIC.
SEND ME AN E-MAIL
UNCLEBOBSBALLPARKS@GMAIL.COM
LINKS
*** HOME ***
My site Listed by State
My site Listed by Team
My site Listed by Stadium
The Official site of Rickwood Field (there really is a lot on this web site)
The Official site of the Birmingham Barons
Birmingham weather from WEATHER.com
|
