old ballparks?

[G1X]

Rickwood Field http://www.rickwood.com/ in my original hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, is the oldest surviving professional baseball park in the country. Rickwood will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year.

Although Birmingham's AA-Southern League team (White Sox) vacated Rickwood after the 1987 season, the Barons schedule one regular-season game each each year at the old ballpark. It's dubbed the Rickwood Classic, and it is always played during the day.

The game is usually themed on a particular Birmingham team from the past, and each team dons the appropriate throwback uniforms. The "Friends of Rickwood" auction the uniforms after the game. The prices are reasonable for the most part, and the money goes to help maintain Rickwood Field.

The Southern League All-Star Game was held in Birmingham last summer. Although the game was played at the Barons current home park, the Home-Run Derby Contest was held at Rickwood the day before.

This year's Rickwood Classic will be on June 2 at 12:30 CDT. If you live in the area, I strongly recommend attending the game. It is a classic, old-style ball park with great views from anywhere, and watching a game with the teams dressed in old-time uniforms is like stepping back in time.

Rickwood is rich with history and is well worth the visit. It is open on most days during the year, and it is in use by local high schools and amateur teams during baseball season. The last time I was in Birmingham, there was no formal tour, but there was a self-guided tour that was especially enjoyable on a quiet day. No tour guides rushing you along or throngs of tourists stepping on your heels - just a nice day at the park taking it all in at my own own pace.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

Always looking for World Football League and Atlanta Falcons uniforms, and Willie McGee and Darren Lewis game-used items.

[ironmanfan]

Rickwood Field http://www.rickwood.com/ in my original hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, is the oldest surviving professional baseball park in the country. Rickwood will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year.

Although Birmingham's AA-Southern League team (White Sox) vacated Rickwood after the 1987 season, the Barons schedule one regular-season game each each year at the old ballpark. It's dubbed the Rickwood Classic, and it is always played during the day.

The game is usually themed on a particular Birmingham team from the past, and each team dons the appropriate throwback uniforms. The "Friends of Rickwood" auction the uniforms after the game. The prices are reasonable for the most part, and the money goes to help maintain Rickwood Field.

The Southern League All-Star Game was held in Birmingham last summer. Although the game was played at the Barons current home park, the Home-Run Derby Contest was held at Rickwood the day before.

This year's Rickwood Classic will be on June 2 at 12:30 CDT. If you live in the area, I strongly recommend attending the game. It is a classic, old-style ball park with great views from anywhere, and watching a game with the teams dressed in old-time uniforms is like stepping back in time.

Rickwood is rich with history and is well worth the visit. It is open on most days during the year, and it is in use by local high schools and amateur teams during baseball season. The last time I was in Birmingham, there was no formal tour, but there was a self-guided tour that was especially enjoyable on a quiet day. No tour guides rushing you along or throngs of tourists stepping on your heels - just a nice day at the park taking it all in at my own own pace.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

Always looking for World Football League and Atlanta Falcons uniforms, and Willie McGee and Darren Lewis game-used items.

Mark:

Good stuff......Wasn't the movie "Cobb" with Tommy Lee Jones (Roger Clemens makes a cameo as well) filmed there as well?

[G1X]

ironmanfan,

Yes, part of the movie "Cobb" with Tommy Lee Jones was filmed at Rickwood. Roger Clemens and musician-Jimmy Buffett had parts in the movie and were on hand at Rickwood.

I was still living in Birmingham at the time and was hired as an extra. I spent a week at Rickwood being part of the crowd scenes. I had to go to wardrobe every day to dress for the part, and I even had to have my hair cut by their stylist so that I would look proper for the era. They dressed me in a 3-piece suit and a fedora.

It is not as exciting as it sounds as most of my time was spent sitting and waiting for a scene to be shot. Then it was shot over and over again.

I have never been a fan of Roger Clemens, but I will say that he was very friendly on the day that they filmed his pitching scene. During one break, he came over to where the "extras" were sitting in the stands and chatted and handed out autographed cards.

Jimmy Buffett was also a really nice guy during the filming. After they filmed his last scene, he offered to meet everyone on the set, sign autographs, and chat. That evening, much to everyone's surprise, he gave a concert on the field. Nice guy!

As for Tommy Lee Jones, I won't say that he wasn't a nice guy, but he was not one to mingle with anyone on the set. He would come out and do his part and then retreat to his trailer. He took his acting very seriously (as he should).

All in all, it was a great experience, but I probably wouldn't do it again (my acting career ended in the 8th grade when I was a not-too-convincing George in the Thornton Wilder classic "Our Town"). By the way, I watched the movie only once and could never find myself in any of the crowd scenes. It's probably a good thing that I ended up on the cutting room floor!

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

Always looking for World Football League and Atlanta Falcons uniforms, and Willie McGee and Darren Lewis game-used items.

[ironmanfan]

ironmanfan,

Yes, part of the movie "Cobb" with Tommy Lee Jones was filmed at Rickwood. Roger Clemens and musician-Jimmy Buffett had parts in the movie and were on hand at Rickwood.

I was still living in Birmingham at the time and was hired as an extra. I spent a week at Rickwood being part of the crowd scenes. I had to go to wardrobe every day to dress for the part, and I even had to have my hair cut by their stylist so that I would look proper for the era. They dressed me in a 3-piece suit and a fedora.

It is not as exciting as it sounds as most of my time was spent sitting and waiting for a scene to be shot. Then it was shot over and over again.

I have never been a fan of Roger Clemens, but I will say that he was very friendly on the day that they filmed his pitching scene. During one break, he came over to where the "extras" were sitting in the stands and chatted and handed out autographed cards.

Jimmy Buffett was also a really nice guy during the filming. After they filmed his last scene, he offered to meet everyone on the set, sign autographs, and chat. That evening, much to everyone's surprise, he gave a concert on the field. Nice guy!

As for Tommy Lee Jones, I won't say that he wasn't a nice guy, but he was not one to mingle with anyone on the set. He would come out and do his part and then retreat to his trailer. He took his acting very seriously (as he should).

All in all, it was a great experience, but I probably wouldn't do it again (my acting career ended in the 8th grade when I was a not-too-convincing George in the Thornton Wilder classic "Our Town"). By the way, I watched the movie only once and could never find myself in any of the crowd scenes. It's probably a good thing that I ended up on the cutting room floor!

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

Always looking for World Football League and Atlanta Falcons uniforms, and Willie McGee and Darren Lewis game-used items.

Great stories Mark!

I knew a guy who played one of the umpires and he had nothing but good stuff to say about the filming/production as well!

IMF

[xpress34]

Resurrecting this thread with some pics of the old ballpark at Lakeside - these are as close as you can get to the Stadium - it needs lots of TLC...