2009 Rickwood Classic
The 2009 Rickwood Classic was the 14th in the annual series of "throwback" games played by the Birmingham Barons in vintage-style uniforms at Birmingham's historic Rickwood Field. The Barons lost to the Mississippi Braves 3-2 on May 27.
The home team Barons wore throwback red, white and black uniforms of the 1982 Birmingham Barons. The Braves wore powder blue uniforms recalling the Atlanta Braves, who played an exhibition game against the Southern League All-Stars at Rickwood in 1982. Honored at the game was Pete Van Wieren, long-time Atlanta Braves announcer. Sam Hairston, Zipp Newman, Pie Traynor and Glynn West were inducted into the Barons Hall of Fame during the game. Robert Moore sang the national anthem and, with the Wildcarts performed from the box seats behind home plate between innings.
Barons' starter John Ely threw the first pitch, using an old-style windup, just after 12:30 PM. The Braves went ahead in the first inning with a Travis Jones solo home run. Ely went on to strike out six as he held the Braves without another run through the sixth inning. Gordon Beckham tied the game for Birmingham in the fourth, scoring on a throwing error. Javier Colina scored C. J. Retherford with an RBI double in the seventh, giving Birmingham a 2-1 lead, but the Braves rallied with Eric Campbell's 2-run shot in the top of the ninth. The Barons managed to put two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, but came up short on John Shelby's strikeout.
Braves starter Ryne Reynoso allowed two runs, one earned, in 6 2/3 innings before turning the mound over to Brett Butts who was credited with the victory after 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Rafael Cruz recorded his league-leading 12th save of the season. Colina finished with two doubles and a single in four at-bats. Despite the loss the Barons held the lead in the Southern League's South division by 5 full games.
The game was presented by State Farm Insurance. The weather was warm and humid with partly cloudy skies after days of rainfall. The reported attendance was 7,396. During the 9th inning the team was notified that infielder Gordon Beckham had been called up to the AAA Charlotte Knights.
References
- Wild, Danny (May 27, 2009) "Braves rally to win Rickwood Classic." MLB.com
External links
- Press Release announcing 14th Annual Rickwood Classic
- Box Score for the 2009 Classic
- photographs from the 2009 Rickwood Classic on flickr.com