Details of Rickwood Field Fan Plaza
As fans head into the historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama for MiLB at Rickwood Field (Tuesday, June 18th), Barnstorm Birmingham (Wednesday, June 19th), and MLB at Rickwood Field (Thursday, June 20th), their experience will begin with the Rickwood Field “Fan Plaza,” which will include various aspects celebrating this special moment for Baseball.
The Rickwood Field Fan Plaza will include:
VISUAL EXPERIENCE –
Fans will have an authentic visual experience, with all graphics celebrating the Negro Leagues through fonts, colors, photography, and custom illustrations. The fan plaza maintains a balance of historical images with modern presentation, and as fans enter the gates of Rickwood Field, the design has been preserved to capture the era of the Negro Leagues and present the ballpark as it was. This has been done through vintage advertising and historic elements throughout.
Historical information on individual Negro Leagues players, photos and artifacts will be displayed throughout. The artifacts, many of which were temporarily donated by the Friends of Rickwood and the Negro Southern League Museum, will be prominently displayed throughout Rickwood Field, including in the original ticket booths, souvenir stands, and concession stands.
HISTORY ON DISPLAY –
For the first time ever, Willie Mays’ Hall of Fame bronze plaque is leaving Cooperstown, NY and will be displayed at Rickwood Field prior to Barnstorm Birmingham on Wednesday, June 19th and MLB at Rickwood Field on Thursday, June 20th. Only one plaque is created for each Hall of Famer, and this unique piece of baseball history will be available for fans to see and photograph in the Friends of Rickwood Museum. During the MLB game, the plaque will be on view at various times from the time gates open through the end of the 7th inning.
The original Home and Visitors clubhouses will be open for tours and photos for a period of time to fans after games open.
An original bus from 1947 – typically used during Barnstorming tours by Negro Leagues teams – will be on display. The bus, which was lent by Steve Bandura of the Philadelphia-based Anderson Monarchs, will be adorned with Birmingham Black Barons logos. The Monarchs team, which included Mo’ne Davis and Steve’s son Scott Bandura (currently a player in the San Francisco Giants’ player development system), utilized this same bus in a nationwide Barnstorming tour in 2015, which included a stop at Rickwood Field.
MLB PARTNER ACTIVATIONS –
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is providing its Mobile Museum created exclusively for the events at Rickwood Field. Elements include:
Baseball fans will feel the thrill as they hold the very bats used by the all-time greats like Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente. Fans can get up close and personal with these iconic pieces of baseball history and cherish a rare chance to hold the same bats that made history.
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory invites fans to check out "old-fashioned" bat-making demonstrations that hearken back to this era in the sport’s history.
The Mobile Museum will also include a number of original bat models from the museum’s famed Bat Vault, which contains more than 3,000 original bat models. Models include: The A112 models created by Hank Aaron and The R115 model by Jackie Robinson
Fans can also strike a pose with the museum's giant five-foot bat and oversized glove for fun family photos.
Chevrolet will feature vehicles from three different eras (from the time of the Negro Leagues to future electric vehicles).
Local corn shucker Aww Shucks will have a concession area, compliments of Mastercard.
Budweiser will have a dedicated area for fans to enjoy.
Deer Park will have water refill stations and bottles of water for purchase.
T-Mobile has brought in a cell tower for a better reception for all at the field.
BuildSubmarines.com will be educating fans on their employment offerings, with prizes and giveaways also featured.
CONCESSIONS –
In addition to ballpark favorites, MLB has collaborated with Aramark to highlight local food vendors, including Dreamland BBQ and Eugene’s in the concessions area.
All concession stands will feature menu boards that will reflect the look and feel of a 1940s-era Rickwood Field.
DETAILS FOR ENTRY –
Fans will enter the event through a main gate that brings them directly into the Fan Plaza where the path of the experience begins.
The footprint of the original ballpark has been expanded to add fan amenities throughout the venue. There are two main adjacent spaces, including the main Fan Plaza and 1st Base Concourse. The expanded footprint includes expanded retail and concession options, interactive exhibits, restrooms, and a stage for pregame entertainment.
The historic and original ballpark façade and concourse sits behind home plate between these two fan areas down the first and third base lines.
Water refill stations and cooling items will be available throughout the venue. Fans are encouraged to bring empty reusable water bottles. Hydration stations are provided throughout the site courtesy of Blue Triton.