Category Archives: Sports

13th Annual Rickwood Classic, Rickwood Field

Posted on February 20, 2008 | Comments Off

Your Birmingham Barons will don replicas of their 1951-52 uniforms (from their time as a Red Sox affiliate) as they take on the Jacksonville Suns at America’s oldest ballpark for a “businessman’s special.”

They have a chance to run their winning streak in the annual retro game to three in a row while honoring former Baron and 17-year major leaguer Jimmy Piersall. The first 1,500 fans that get in will receive a vintage portrait of Piersall from the ’52 season.

If you want to know more about just what that retro uniform will look like (among other things), click here to view the release courtesy of the Barons (hint, you may also want to check out the team’s new website, just saying).

Cost: We’ll update with a link once single game tickets are available.

Location:
Rickwood Field
1137 2^nd Avenue West (directions)

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Posted in 35204, Events, Sports, Timetable

Tagged Alabama, ballpark, baseball, Birmingham, Birmingham Barons, Jacksonville Suns, oldest, Rickwood Classic, Rickwood Field

Hicks takes to the hardcourt this weekend

Posted on February 15, 2008 | 2 comments

Taylor Hicks - MySpace photo Members of Taylor Hicks’ Soul Patrol need only look to cable television network ESPN ~~this weekend~~ tonight to catch a glimpse of the season 5 American Idol winner. He’s playing to a sold out audience, only it’s a crowd of basketball fans hoping for a great show. Hicks will be suiting up for the New Orleans team in this year’s NBA McDonald’s All-Star Celebrity Game. Tip off is 6 p.m. local time.

Before you think about hopping a flight or the train to get down there and catch a glimpse, tickets are already sold out. Plus, Hicks was apparently a point guard in high school, so it’s not impossible to think of him dishing it to Master P or WNBA star Ruth Riley.

2 Comments

Posted in Entertainment, Sports

Tagged American Idol, appearance, basketball, Celebrity Game, NBA, New Orleans, Taylor Hicks

Former Barons GM West dies

Posted on February 5, 2008 | Leave a comment

Glynn West, a former general manager of the Birmingham Barons and Birmingham A’s, died on Monday at age 77.

West is responsible for, among other things, opening all seats at Rickwood Field to all fans, regardless of race, during the civil rights era. He is also responsible for America’s oldest ballpark having 1,000 wooden seats installed from New York’s Polo Grounds from 1964 until 1980.

The News’ account includes known funeral arrangements.

Kickball, Avondale Park

Posted on January 5, 2008 | Comments Off

Kickball makes its 2008 debut today out at Avondale Park. The folks are a little upset that the weather is supposed to be warmer since it would have been a great excuse for hot toddies. It’s simple, it’s fun and afterwards, it’s an excuse to hang out with folks over at Rojo on Highland.

Cost: $2 Location: Avondale Park, intersection of 5^th Avenue and 41^st Street South (directions)

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Posted in 35222, Events, Sports, Timetable

So now you can watch that Patriots game on Saturday…

Posted on December 26, 2007 | Leave a comment

For those football fans in the area that want to see if the New England Patriots can make NFL history this Saturday, well now you can. The game, which was originally only going to be broadcast on the NFL Network, will now also be simulcast on both CBS and NBC as the result of an agreement reached earlier today. The Patriots will kickoff against the New York Giants beginning at 7 p.m.

Depending on what your tastes in television are, you may think that we’re getting an upgrade: NBC was scheduled to air “Dateline NBC” and a repeat of “Law & Order: SVU” while CBS was going to broadcast the George Clooney film, “Good Night, and Good Luck” and “48 Hours: Mysteries.”

Travelogue: Nashville sees Birmingham Int’l Raceway commitment as hope

Posted on December 26, 2007 | Leave a comment

Save Nashville Speedway posted earlier today about a meeting on December 20 between management of the Birmingham International Raceway, currently located on the Alabama State Fairgrounds in Birmingham’s Five Points West community, and Mayor Larry Langford.

The post, which sites a release posted on the front page of the raceway’s website, states that Mayor Langford was fully supportive of continued racing at the fairgrounds. He’s asked for the raceway’s management to submit its plans for 2008, including a master plan detailing improvements to the 95-year old facility, in early January so that it can be discussed and then introduced to the Fairgrounds board and the Birmingham City Council.

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UA vs. USA Olympic Softball team, Liberty Park

Posted on December 25, 2007 | Comments Off

Details are still to come on this one. We know the game will be at the Liberty Park softball fields but we don’t know time and ticket information. We’ll update when that is decided. What we do have is a quote from UA’s coach: “One of the biggest dates on the season is the game with the Olympic team, which only a few teams from around the nation have the opportunity to play,” Patrick Murphy said. “It will be even more special this time around, because this may be the last go-around for softball in the Olympics. It could be an historic event.” Here’s a link to the UA softball page.

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Posted in Alabama, Sports, Timetable