BIRMINGHAM, AL – Former Atlanta Braves superstar centerfielder Andruw Jones stepped into the batter’s box, but not before he received a loud ovation from the Rickwood Field crowd. Several hundred people were in the stands to watch former Major League Baseball ballplayers like Jones, former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, Milwaukee Brewer star Prince Fielder, B.J. and Justin Upton, Mike Cameron, Curtis Granderson, Gary Sheffield, former Major League Baseball star and manager Dusty Baker, and future National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee C.C. Sabathia.
The fans were dressed in Negro League jerseys, replica Willie Mays San Francisco Giants jerseys, and one fan had on Jones’ jersey. Baseball was in the air, and Rickwood Field, the oldest active-use baseball field in the country, was one of the places to be in Birmingham for Juneteenth. That wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions from Major League Baseball and the East-West Classic, an exhibition game featuring former professional ball players in its second year.
The game brought dozens of members of the media to the park, including out-of-town outlets and publications, to cover a game at a 115-year-old ball park. Rickwood Field’s history is part of Birmingham’s lore.
It is reminiscent of Herndon Stadium in the heart of the Atlanta University Center. The only difference is that Herndon Stadium is decorated in graffiti and overgrown weeds at the moment. The outfield wall at Rickwood Field is covered with advertisements from national brands such as Geico, Budweiser, and New York Life Insurance Co. There are also advertisements for local businesses on the wall, including American Cast Iron Pipe Co. That level of financial support makes it possible for Rickwood Field to be the site for several exhibition games throughout the year.
Herndon Stadium is owned by Clark Atlanta University and was once home to the Morris Brown College Wolverines football team. Once home to thousands of fans, the stadium is no longer in use, but was once the venue of choice for the 1996 Summer Olympics field hockey competition. Investments from the National Football League, for example, could change the landscape of the Atlanta University Center forever. With the FIFA World Cup less than a year away, there has been talk of revitalization, but so far, it is only talk.
Back in Birmingham, the National Baseball Hall of Fame had a table with Negro League artifacts and authentic game-used memorabilia set up under the bleachers. It was part of the Hall of Fame’s Black Baseball Initiative, and fans were coming over to take pictures with the jerseys and bats. The reason for the table full of history was simple, says National Baseball Hall of Fame Director of Education Stephanie Hazzard: It’s important to recognize the impact of Black American players on the game.
“It’s telling the history of the Negro League baseball and the history through the years,” she said.
Major League Baseball data shows that only 6.2% of active players on 2025 rosters are Black American. That’s less than 60 players on 30 teams. The game’s history may not be seen as much on the field as it once did, but it is still there when the current Atlanta Braves center fielder, Michael Harris II, climbs the wall at Truist Park to bring home a would-be home run. The same way former Birmingham Black Barons star and Fairfield, Alabama native Willie Mays used to at the Polo Grounds in New York City and in San Francisco during his Hall of Fame career.
