1964 Birmingham Barons: Difference between revisions
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The '''1964 Birmingham Barons''' were the first racially-integrated [[Birmingham Barons|Barons]] club, and the first professional team to play at [[Rickwood Field]] without segregated seating. The team was owned by [[Albert Belcher]], who had also owned the [[1961 Birmingham Barons]] team that dissolved, along with the [[Southern Association]], in the face of [[segregation ordinances]] in Birmingham and New Orleans. Once those ordinances were lifted, a victory of the [[Civil Rights movement]], a new [[Southern League]] was formed with Birmingham, again, a charter member. | The '''1964 Birmingham Barons''' were the first racially-integrated [[Birmingham Barons|Barons]] club, and the first professional team to play at [[Rickwood Field]] without segregated seating. The team was owned by [[Albert Belcher]], who had also owned the [[1961 Birmingham Barons]] team that dissolved, along with the [[Southern Association]], in the face of [[segregation ordinances]] in Birmingham and New Orleans. Once those ordinances were lifted, a victory of the [[Civil Rights movement]], a new [[Southern League]] was formed with Birmingham, again, a charter member. | ||
Revision as of 21:30, 17 December 2012
The 1964 Birmingham Barons were the first racially-integrated Barons club, and the first professional team to play at Rickwood Field without segregated seating. The team was owned by Albert Belcher, who had also owned the 1961 Birmingham Barons team that dissolved, along with the Southern Association, in the face of segregation ordinances in Birmingham and New Orleans. Once those ordinances were lifted, a victory of the Civil Rights movement, a new Southern League was formed with Birmingham, again, a charter member.
The team was affiliated with the Kansas City Athletics, then owned by Ensley native Charlie Finley, who often visited during Birmingham A's home stands. The team's name was changed to the Birmingham Athletics following the 1965 season.
Scheduled for just months after the bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church, the threat of racially-motivated violence loomed over the opener against the Asheville Tourists. Extra police were stationed all around the ballpark. Despite the fact that the team gave away razors and blades at the turnstiles 1., there were no incidents to mar the event, which attracted 6,564 fans.
Tommie Reynolds tied a team record with three home runs against Asheville on August 24. He hit three more on September 5 against Charlotte, matching his own record and setting the team record for runs batted in during a game.
As the season progressed, with the Barons in the hunt for the pennant until the very last game, overall attendance at Rickwood was a disappointing 95,703.
Roster
- Infielders: Bert Campaneris, Tony LaRussa
- Outfielders: Tom Reynolds
- Catchers: Rene Lachemann
- Pitchers: Johnny Odom, Stan Jones, Marcel Lachemann
- Manager: Haywood Sullivan
- General manager: Glynn West
- Trainer: Fred Posey
- Unknown: Richard Allen, Tony Frulio, John Stutz, John Stahl, Santiago Rosario, Woody Huyke, Nicky Curtis, Weldon Bowlin, Stan Wojcik, Lou Hemauer, Bill Meyer, Ron Thompkins, Ken Knight, Paul Seitz, Joe Grzenda, Wayne Norton, Paul Linblad, Ossie Chavarria.
Schedule
The 1964 Barons finished the season 80-60, one game back from the 81-59 Lynchburg White Sox for the league pennant (there was no playoff).
April
- 17-19: 3 games vs. Asheville Tourists
- 21-23: 3 games at Columbus Confederate Yankees
- 24-26: 3 games at Macon Peaches
- 27-29: 3 games vs. Knoxville Smokies
- 30: vs. Chattanooga Looksouts
May
- 1-3: 3 games vs. Chattanooga Lookouts
- 4-5: 2 games at Knoxville Smokies
- 6-8: 3 games at Chattanooga Lookouts
- 9-12: 4 games vs. Columbus Confederate Yankees
- 13-15: 3 games vs. Macon Peaches
- 16-17: 2 games at Asheville Tourists
- 18-20: 3 games vs. Charlotte Hornets
- 22-24: 3 games vs. Lynchburg White Sox
- 25-27: 3 games at Chattanooga Lookouts
- 28-31: 4 games at Lynchburg White Sox
June
- 1-4: 4 games vs. Asheville Tourists
- 5-7: 3 games at Columbus Confederate Yankees
- 8-11: 4 games at Macon Peaches
- 12-14: 3 games vs. Knoxville Smokies
- 15-17: 3 games vs. Chattanooga Lookouts
- 18-21: 4 games at Knoxville Smokies
- 22-25: 4 games at Chattanooga Lookouts
- 26-28: 3 games vs. Columbus Confederate Yankees
- 29-30: 2 games vs. Macon Peaches
July
- 1: vs. Macon Peaches
- 2-5: 4 games at Asheville Tourists
- 6-8: 3 games at Charlotte Hornets
- 10-12: 4 games vs. Lynchburg White Sox
- 15-17: 3 games at Charlotte Hornets
- 18-20: 3 games at Lynchburg White Sox
- 22-24: 3 games at Asheville Tourists
- 25-28: 4 games at Columbus Confederate Yankees
- 29-31: 3 games at Macon Peaches
August
- 1-4: 4 games vs. Knoxville Smokies
- 5-7: 3 games vs. Chattanooga Lookouts
- 8-11: 4 games at Knoxville Smokies
- 12-14: 3 games at Chattanooga Lookouts
- 15-17: 3 games vs. Columbus Confederate Yankees
- 18-21: 4 games vs. Macon Peaches
- 22-25: 4 games at Asheville Tourists
- 27-30: 4 games vs. Charlotte Hornets
- 31: vs. Lynchburg White Sox
September
- 1-2: 2 games vs. Lynchburg White Sox
- 3-6: 4 games at Charlotte Hornets
- 7-9: 3 games at Lynchburg White Sox
References
- Segrest, Doug (May 30, 2007) "A better view of the game." Birmingham News.
- Cook, Ben (2005) Good Wood: A Fan's history of Rickwood Field. Birmingham: R. Boozer Press. ISBN 0963612832
- 1964 Birmingham Barons information at Birmingham Pro Sports