Minor League Baseball Returns to America's Oldest Professional Ballpark in 2025

In an exciting announcement for baseball fans, Minor League Baseball is set to return to Rickwood Field, America's oldest professional ballpark, in 2025. On June 4th, the Birmingham Barons, Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, will host the Rocket City Trash Pandas, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, in a special tribute to the Negro Leagues.

Rickwood Field, a historic venue that once served as the home of a Negro Leagues franchise, stands as a living monument to the thousands of Birmingham fans and the hundreds of Black baseball pioneers who played there. Among these pioneers are Baseball Hall of Famers such as Satchel Paige, Willie Wells, and Mule Suttles. Willie Mays, who grew up just five miles away from Rickwood Field in Fairfield, Alabama, also began his professional career there, joining the Birmingham Black Barons at the age of 17 in 1948.

Opened in 1910, Rickwood Field was originally home to both the Birmingham Barons and, beginning in 1923, the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American, Negro Southern, and Negro National Leagues. The ballpark remained the Black Barons' home through 1960 and continued to serve the Southern League's Barons until 1987.

In June 2024, Rickwood Field was thrust back into the spotlight during Major League Baseball's Tribute to the Negro Leagues. The event saw the Barons hosting the Montgomery Biscuits in a Minor League Baseball game, while the San Francisco Giants faced the St. Louis Cardinals in a Major League game at the historic venue.

​This upcoming game in 2025 not only celebrates the rich history of Rickwood Field but also honors the legacy of the Negro Leagues and the significant contributions of Black players to the sport of baseball. Fans can look forward to a memorable event that brings together the past and present of America's pastime in one of the sport's most iconic settings.