RICKWOOD

Now in stock! This book was 115 years in the making

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We now have copies of this brand-new book in stock, so scroll down to place your order!

Rickwood Field in Birmingham was built by industrialist Rick Woodward in 1910, so it has justly earned the nickname “America’s Oldest Ballpark.” By updating material from the 1995 book Bases Loaded With History by exceptional baseball researcher and writer Tim Whitt, and adding all that has occurred at this baseball palace since (who can forget Major League Baseball’s 2024 tribute to the Negro Leagues and Birmingham’s native son Willie Mays?), this new book provides the park’s definitive history.

Simply entitled Rickwood, this treasure of a book will be eagerly read by baseball fans of all types, particularly those with a thirst for history, including the Negro Leagues. After all, Rickwood Field was the home of the Birmingham Black Barons for four decades.

The phenomenal team at Stoney Creek Publishing brought this book to life. From editing to layout to printing, this is a first-class publishing job!

When ordering (below), if you’d like for Joe Mock to sign it, then select the “autographed” version below.

After reading the completed manuscript, some amazing people offered to write a recommendation of Rickwood. Here’s what the illustrious Janet Marie Smith had to say:

“During my time working in baseball, I’ve felt part of my job is to help a ballpark tell its own story.  Each one is so distinctive and such a reflection of its city and place in the cultural lore of the land. Now comes Tim Whitt and Joe Mock to serve as the voice for Rickwood Field. And what stories Rickwood Field can tell after over 100 years, from its legacy as the sibling of the storied Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia to the moment when the national spotlight coincided with the passing of Birmingham’s own Willie Mays. This book is about more than baseball; it’s a reflection of the last hundred years of our nation’s cultural history, Birmingham’s place in that story, and a reminder of why baseball is America’s Pastime.”

— Janet Marie Smith, Co-founder of Canopy Team, held executive Planning and Development roles in working on Camden Yards, Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Turner Field, State Farm Arena and Polar Park

Here’s what some other luminaries had to say:

“My grandfather would have loved this book, because it does a beautiful job of describing the history of the ballpark he built and loved.”

— Rick Woodward III, grandson of the builder of Rickwood Field

“Joe Mock and Tim Whitt capture the complete story of Rickwood Field. Our City is honored to maintain such a special place. There is a great deal of community pride in offering this landmark to our residents as well as baseball fans from around the world.”

— Randall L. Woodfin, Mayor of the City of Birmingham

“Rickwood is a place of pilgrimage, a sacred space where the past whispers stories of struggle and perseverance to the present. Leveraging deep research, driven by infectious curiosity, Tim Whitt and Joe Mock show readers why and how the complicated past of this fabled stadium can inspire our collective future.”

— John T. Edge, writer and host of the Emmy-winning television show TrueSouth on ESPN

Specifications for Rickwood — How America’s Oldest Ballpark Forged Baseball’s Legends

• 25 chapters plus foreword, introduction, index of all names mentioned in the book, for a total of 180 pages
• Dimensions: 6″ by 9″
• This book is not endorsed by Major League Baseball or any of its clubs
• Selected for sale at the prestigious Extra Innings Gift Shop at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City
• ISBN for softcover edition: 978-1-965766-52-1
• Published by Stoney Creek Publishing. All rights are reserved
• Printed in the USA
• Books are shipped by USPS Ground Advantage or UPS Ground from Texas, usually within 10 days of the order date
• Shipments are made to U.S. addresses only. They can be P.O. Boxes or street addresses (if you are in a country other than the U.S., we suggest you order from Amazon)
• The price for the softcover edition is $24.95, plus shipping and applicable sales tax
• Sales tax applies only to orders shipped to states which require it
• You can order either an autographed copy or one without an autograph. Select the appropriate response below. There is no charge for the autograph, but it may add several days to the shipping schedule
• You are actually making the purchase through PayPal. To start the transaction, select whether you want it autographed or not, then select the quantity, then click on ADD TO CART. If you don’t have a PayPal account, it’s no problem. You can use Venmo or ApplePay (on supported Apple devices) or a debit or credit card
• “BaseballParks.com” and “Grand Slam Mall” are DBAs (also doing business as) names owned solely by Grand Slam Enterprises, Inc.
• We will gladly replace the book if it is damaged in transit (if so, email us a picture of the damage) or we can send you a different product than you ordered. If you receive this book undamaged, there are no refunds
• If you prefer to order from Amazon, the link is here. For Barnes & Noble, click here … but note there is no option to order autographed copies from either of these retailers
• If you are interested in purchasing ballcaps or t-shirts with the Rickwood logo from the cover of the book, click here. That online store is operated by Stoney Creek Publishing, not BaseballParks.com