Hearst TV to Launch Baseball Documentary ‘Rickwood: The Soul of Birmingham’
A new documentary honoring and exploring the history of Rickwood, a field that once served as home to the Negro Leagues’ Birmingham Black Barons, will be the focus of a new documentary that debuts June 11 on Hearst Television’s Very Local app.
“Rickwood: The Soul of Birmingham,” produced by Burning Sands Productions, explores the legacy of the Black Barons and even offers a roadmap for towns across America faced with tough decisions about their aging ballparks. Among local luminaries offering reminiscences in the documentary are area natives, including former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones and popular actor and comedian Roy Wood Jr.
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“This story is told through the voice of Rickwood Field,” said Laura Ling, vice president of programming at Very Local, in a statement. “It may be an inanimate object, but it comes to life to share stories of the ghosts of the past and the promise of tomorrow. Rickwood is the real ‘Field of Dreams.’”
Founded in 1910 in Birmingham, Alabama, Rickwood hosted nearly 200 members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and was the site of the 2013 movie “42” about pioneering baseball legend Jackie Robinson. On June 18, 2024 it will host a Minor League Baseball game featuring the Montgomery Biscuits and the Birmingham Barons who will pay tribute to the Negro Leagues by playing as the Montgomery Grey Sox and Birmingham Black Barons. On June 20, the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants will play there.
“The magic and history of Rickwood Field may surprise even the most knowledgeable baseball fan,” said Michael Fountain, the documentary’s executive producer. “When a visitor sits in the bleachers behind home plate and looks out at the field, one can’t help but take a trip back in time and visualize the greats that played or coached on that field.”
Hearst Television’s Birmingham station, WVTM-TV, also will air a special this month, “Rickwood Field: A Return to Glory, which will also be available to stream on Very Local.
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