Nation’s baseball fans impressed by historic Rickwood Field

It did not matter if you had a rooting interest or not during Thursday’s Major League Baseball game at Rickwood Field. You were there for the experience.

The eyes of the baseball world were on the historic ballpark in Birmingham but for those that were lucky enough to be in the stadium, the night was a little extra special.

Keep reading to see more about Thursday’s game + hear from some of the fans that made the trip to Rickwood.

‘It’s a dream’

It may have been a work trip for Scott Gillam but he made sure to cherish each moment spent at Rickwood Field.

Gillam is a big baseball fan from Missouri and he has spent plenty of time in other stadiums across the country. After working the previous Field of Dreams games in Iowa, Gillam worked this week as an usher and he said the opportunity was a dream.

“This is unbelievable. This is history. The Field of Dreams game was based on a movie, this is based on what happened. Compared to other MLB parks, Wrigley Field is the only one I can compare this to. This is a lot better, this is even more nostalgic than Wrigley is.”

~ Scott Gillam

He said he hopes MLB will return to Rickwood Field, saying there could be an opportunity to bring the Dodgers to town and honor Jackie Robinson.

Gillam was also at the park Tuesday night, when the news broke that Birmingham native and Hall of Fame member Willie Mays passed away.

“That’s something you’ll never forget. Everybody who was here will remember exactly where they were when they heard that.”

~ Scott Gillam

Scott Gillam, from Missouri, worked Field of Dreams games

Traveling from near and far to honor Willie Mays

The announced attendance for Thursday’s game was 8,332, many of whom made the trip to Rickwood to honor Willie Mays.

Barry Johnson has been a Giants season ticket holder since Pacific Bell Park opened in 2000. He was in Birmingham this week, donning a Willie McCovey jersey Thursday night.

“For a lot of Giants fans, it’s about Willie Mays. I think he’ll get the kind of recognition he rightfully deserves. A lot of people in this ballpark will feel like it’s a really special day to be a part of.”

~ Barry Johnson, San Francisco Giants fan

Johnson knew he would be making the trip when the game was announced, comparing it to the Super Bowl for his fanbase.

Local Giants fans Davies and Jen Hood already have plenty of memories at Rickwood Field. When this week’s games were announced, they knew they had to be in attendance.

The couple made it out to Tuesday’s minor league game then as a Mother’s Day gift for Jen, they got to return Thursday night.

“I think this is totally going to change the trajectory of this stadium. Hopefully the Rickwood Classic can become a real thing again, hopefully MLB can come back here because this is so good. They can do other things here. This is so cool.”

~ Davies Hood

Fans experience history, fun at Rickwood

Fans entered the grounds through a history book that taught them about the history of the Negro Leagues and their players.

“I had no idea all the history. All of that has been a bit overwhelming. It added an element to it that I didn’t really come into this expecting.”

~ Barry Johnson, Giants fan

There were plenty of amenities throughout the park and the fan fest located just outside including:

• Louisville Slugger tent
• Rickwood Field museum
• Merch shops
• Classic clubhouse tour
• Pregame tribute to Willie Mays + the Negro Leagues

After the Cardinals wrapped up a 6-5 victory Thursday night, the week wrapped up with some fireworks from center field.

Did you get to attend Thursday’s game at Rickwood Field? Let us know about your experience by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.