2011 Rickwood Classic
The 2011 Rickwood Classic was the 16th in the annual series of "throwback" games played by the Birmingham Barons in vintage-style uniforms at Birmingham's historic Rickwood Field. The Barons defeated the Chattanooga Lookouts 4-3 in 11 innings, playing for a crowd of 6,871 in record heat on the afternoon of June 1.
The home team Barons wore throwback road gray uniforms and black caps of the 1961 Birmingham Barons, the last non-integrated Barons team, and the last to play as an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The Lookouts also honored their 1960s teams with white jerseys and pants with red piping and blue caps. Honored at the game was Gaylord Perry, a Hall of Fame pitcher remembered for his spitballs and puffballs who was called up to the majors in 1961. Elliot Bigelow, Roy Majtyka and Mule Suttles 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.
The Barons came into the game tied with Mobile and a half game behind Jacksonville in the Southern League's South Division first-half race. Scheduled starter Dylan Axelrod went on the disabled list the day before the game and was replaced by former starter Justin Edwards, who struck out seven in eight innings on the mound. Brian Omogrosso held the Lookouts scoreless through the ninth, but the Barons were still down 3-2.
Still behind with two outs in the ninth, Seth Loman was walked and yielded first to pinch runner Tyler Kuhn. Ken Williams, Jr then tied the game up with a right-field triple that scored Kuhn as Ken Williams, Sr, a former Baron, looked on. Omogrosso again retired the Lookouts in the 10th, but the Barons couldn't secure the win. Dan Remenowsky came in for the Barons in the 11th and struck out the side. Then outfielder Justin Green, who had earlier made a spectacular wall-crashing catch of a Jesse Mier deep ball, knocked his second pitch 321 feet over the left field wall for the winning run. Remenowsky was credited with the win, and Lookouts reliever John Wall took the loss.
The game was presented by State Farm Insurance. The weather was hot and sunny, with 98° temperatures that broke 1953's record high by 3 degrees.
References
- Busch, Matthew (June 1, 2011) "Rickwood Classic game brings memories and good times to historic ball park." Birmingham News
- Segrest, Doug (June 2, 2011) "Rally at Rickwood: Barons tie game in ninth, win in 11th on Greene's walk-off shot." Birmingham News
External links
- Box Score for the 2011 Classic
- Photographs from the Rickwood Classic on flickr.com