As one who grew up in Birmingham, some of my fondest memories are that of attending Barons games at historic Rickwood Field. I well remember attending games in the 1960s, actually when the team went by the Birmingham A's (as a farm team of the then-Kansas City A's.) Those Birmingham teams included later Major League stars like Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, Dave Duncan, and Rollie Fingers. This crop of Birmingham stars later won the World Series as the Oakland A's.
On Friday, May 15, this writer had a thrill that will last forever in throwing out the first pitch at the Barons home game with the Carolina Mudcats at Regions Park in Hoover. This privilege was the result of winning a contest on Barons trivia,and the contest winner received Barons tickets and the privilege of throwing out the first pitch. The game was exciting as the game ended in an 11th inning rainout with a 3-3 tie. You can view these photos which were taken by Jefferson County District Judge Eddie Vines.This year is particularly thrilling as the Barons currently have the best record in the entire Southern League and are now seven and a half games ahead of the second-place Mobile Bay Bears in the South Division of the AA Southern League. The Barons are currently traveling, but begin their next home stand on Tuesday, May 26. However, on Tuesday, May 27, the Barons will host the Mississippi Braves for the Rickwood Classic, the one game a year that the Barons play at historic Rickwood
Field, the original home of the Barons and the oldest baseball stadium still in use. This game will commemorate the 1982 game when the Barons hosted the Atlanta Braves who played the Southern League All-stars. The Mississippi Braves (AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves) will wear the uniform of the Atlanta Braves. Tickets are available at www.barons.com The Rickwood Classic was rated as the top Minor League event of the year in an online survey by Minor League Baseball.The Birmingham Barons are dear to my heart for several reasons: 1) they represent the American sport of baseball 2) the Barons represent my hometown 3) the Barons have a heritage, perhaps unmatched, of any minor league baseball team in America. In the spirit of conservative interests, consider taking the family out to a Barons game. particularly the Rickwood Classic.
2 comments:
Congratulations! It couldn’t have happened to a better person.
This morning I read your Musings from Maytown Represented at Barons Game and then spent some time searching the internet to see if what I THINK I recall really happened. I didn't find any confirmation but this is what I think I recall about one game between the Barons and the Chattanooga Lookouts when I was growing up in Chattanooga in the late 30s and early 40s.
Joe Engel was the owner of the Lookouts. He was called by some "The P.T. Barnum of baseball" because he was quite a promoter as you can see if you research his name on Wikipedia (SEE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Engel and the linked http://www.baseballpilgrimages.com/engelstadium.html). I believe the owner of the Barons at that time was named Eddie Glennon, but I'm not certain of that. Anyway, as the last game of the season for both teams arrived, to be played in Chattanooga, which team won or lost the game would make no difference to either team as far as league standings was concerned and fan interest was low in Chattanooga. In order to stir up interest, Engel and the owner of the Baron's agreed to use non-pitchers to start the game. Engel selected his big third baseman, Sol Rogovin, who had such a strong arm that he had more than once damaged the first baseman's "scoop" with his throws to first base. Glennon (if that was the name of the Barons owner) I seem to recall would start an outfielder whose name I can't recall.
I THINK I recall that both pitchers pitched extremely well, and the Lookouts won by a score of 1-0 or some such low score, with Rogovin giving up very few hits. Because of that performance, Rogovin then went on to the major leagues and pitched there for several years, with, I believe, the Chicago White Sox. That was long ago and my memory is now faulty, but I thought it might be something that would interest you.
As a matter of my personal history related to Engel Stadium: I played sandlot baseball in what was known as The Knot-hole League that Engel helped by giving all the players free passes to the bleacher area for Lookout home games and by allowing the season-ending league playoff games to be played at Engel Stadium. I was the strike-out leader on my team, not as a pitcher, but as the first baseman. My batting average was dismal. But in one game at Engel Stadium I surprised everyone by hitting a ball that rolled all the way to the base of the incline in deep left-center field (mentioned in the second link above). In fact, I so amazed myself that I stood transfixed between first and second base for several seconds and barely made it to third when I should have had in inside the park home run.
Don
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