Rickwood Rematch Announced, A Chat With Jack Morris

Hey, look who will be playing in this years Rickwood Classic! Its going to be Birmingham taking on Montgomery, a rematch of the first ever game at the oldest park with Lou Piniella as the guest of honor.

Walking through the turnstiles of the century old ballpark transports one into another world, to go back in time and take in a ball game the way it was intended to be seen. The sights and sounds are familiar. Fans enjoy it, players enjoy it, umpires enjoy it. You should come and enjoy it too.

misdated photo gets the attendance right, but is actually the opening game at Rickwood Field, 1910

Of course, if you have read the blog or looked discerningly at the league sked for next year, you saw that the sweet spot for the annual throwback game had the Biscuits on the calendar.

To be sure, fans have been more than a little expressive about their desire to see Montgomery partake in this game and to be more inclusive of the local history. Indeed the team has responded, first adding vintage photos and images to their displays and promotions in the past couple seasons and now this. Its a nice change from the previous owners repeated attempts to distance themselves from the local baseball heritage. Kudos to the Biscuits staff for making the changes baseball fans want to see.

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING FOR THE OCCASION?

 We all know that uniforms play a prominent part in winning ball championships. 

So with the Biscuits taking on the Barons in the daytime tilt at Rickwood, what era can we look for?

The Rickwood staff always provides excellent period entertainers and many fans wear clothes from the era to create a wonderful atmosphere.

Happily I can share with you that the game will feature 1909-1911 style uniforms for both teams and around the ballpark.

1910 Birmingham team

 I am also hearing that the Montgomery uniforms worn for the game will be auctioned AT Montgomery on a date after the game is played. This leads me to hope that we might see a throwback game at Riverwalk featuring the Montgomery Climbers uniforms shortly after the Rickwood game. And to hope that I might get one!

1909 Montgomery team

This could tie into another item I expect to see - the Biscuits will hold another Montgomery baseball history promotional night featuring the Montgomery Rebels, expanding on what they have done the past few seasons. Perhaps even a full Rebels Night on the promotional schedule.


MY REACTION
Obviously, you know I personally am thrilled to see the local history get some recognition.

Our teams have been among the most dominant, our players among the most talented, our history with the game as deep as any in the world. All the greats played here, yet for decades Montgomery's pages were left with gaps and blanks, players names misspelled and dates erroneously reported with no concern to detail.

More than that, the stories are slipping away - tales of greatness and near greatness, of failure and camaraderie. The legends of our local games of baseball. And it seems a crime to lose those legends.

Yes, it is an actual 1910 photo of the parking lot at the first Rickwood game

LEGENDS
Legends like that one created when the Rickwood Classic was rained out on a sunny day in 2005.

Biscuit bullpen at Rickwood Rainout

Many long time Biscuit fans recall piling into the car on a bright June morning for the drive to B'ham. They parked just where those first fans parked in 1910 to cheer on their team in a road game against the rival Birmingham club.

The sun beat down on the large crowd assembled for the big game but in a classic old-time ploy, someone had left the tarp off the field for the previous nights rainstorm.

Biscuits skipper Charlie Montoyo in throwback uni on left

The soaking wet grounds deprived James Shields the chance to pitch in Montgomery's return to Rickwood after 40 years. The field was a muddy mess, umpires waited to give the field time to dry out but eventually called the game. It was a rain out on a sunny day!

James Shield at Rickwood Rainout

 Only it wasn't rained out and left unplayed - the game was made up weeks later. Returning to Rickwood Field on a warm and dry August afternoon with just a few clouds, donning their 1910 throwback uniforms, the Biscuits again faced the Barons in a makeup of the rematch throwback game!

The fans numbered in the dozens for a day game not originally on the schedule. Montgomery lost, 9-1, pitcher Brian Lockwood taking the L. 

Photo Proof provided by Bubba36109

HALL OF FAMER JACK MORRIS
I had the pleasure to speak with a legend who has a local connection. Newly minted Hall of Fame pitcher Jack Morris was in town to speak at the annual coaches dinner and afterwards we chatted for a few minutes.

Morris was a Montgomery Rebel pitcher in 1976, his first stop in pro ball was double-A which was where I first saw him pitch. I recall that he wasn't very good but still got the ball as a starter, a memory which his 6.75 ERA that summer backs up. But he went on to learn the splitter after leaving Montgomery, setting him on the path to greatness.

Morris had nice things to say about playing in Montgomery. I asked about Paterson Field, he fondly recalled that it was a great place to play and a great place to pitch. Jack did state flatly "the problem there was that the locker rooms didn't have any showers, just lockers!" He chuckled when I informed him that the locker rooms had finally been remodeled a few seasons ago.

Asked about playing in the Southern League at that time, he had high praise. "Oh, we had great players in the league that year" and cited names like Eddie Murray, Dale Murphy, Willie Wilson and Alan Trammell, most of whom were in the SL that season. "It was a lot of fun to watch" he added "as long as you weren't pitching."