Tag Archives: Rickwood Field

by | May 30, 2013 · 4:39 pm

Cubs’ legend Fergie Jenkins recalls his early playing career

Ferguson "Fergie" Jenkins was honored prior to the 2013 Rickwood Classic. Photo Courtesy:

Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins was honored prior to the 2013 Rickwood Classic. Photo Courtesy:

Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins has not forgotten his baseball roots. After a 19-year Major League career that included 284 wins and 3,192 strikeouts, Jenkins still fondly remembers his time in the minors, which included a stint in the Southern League.

As a member of the Chattanooga Lookouts in 1964, the seven-time 20 game winner played at Rickwood Field and reflected on those times before yesterday’s 18th Annual Rickwood Classic.

“I played here in the ‘60s,” Jenkins said. “The All-Star Game was here in ’64 when I was 19 years old. There are a lot of memories that you try to bring back and the Southern League was one step of me getting to the big leagues so it was fun playing here.”

Home to the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro League, Rickwood Field was used as a site for scenes filmed in the movie 42, the story of Jackie Robinson. Although he never got a chance to play against him, Jenkins carries the utmost respect for Robinson and other African Americans of that era who paved the way for players like himself.

“Robinson was a pioneer,” Jenkins told the Smokies Radio Network Wednesday. “He had to suffer a lot of abuse for being one of the first athletes of color playing in the major leagues. Larry Doby was second and they don’t really feature a lot about Larry. He had to suffer a lot too. There was also Willie Mays and so many guys that had to feel some abuse but they got through it and that’s what made them great athletes.”

Rickwood Field is the oldest in-use ballpark in the United States and has seen some of the game’s biggest stars play there including Jenkins, Mays, Reggie Jackson, and Frank Thomas. With such historical significance taking place at the park, Jenkins stresses the importance of passing on that knowledge to today’s youth.

“History is very important in baseball,” Jenkins said. “A lot of kids don’t understand the history of the game. What it took to get where the game is now in 2013. There are a lot of things that have happened in the game and this is just part of history. This ballpark is well over 100 years old and so many players have played in this ballpark not just me included so there’s a ton of great athletes that came through this system.”

For Cubs legend Fergie Jenkins, the opportunity to be a part of the  storied history is something that he will cherish forever.

AUDIO INTERVIEW

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by | May 29, 2013 · 4:42 pm

Smokies Fall to Barons 6-2 in Rickwood Classic

The Tennessee Smokies paid homage to the Knoxville Giants Wednesday, wearing their 1936 uniforms. Photo Courtesy: Nick Roark

The Tennessee Smokies paid homage to the Knoxville Giants Wednesday, wearing their 1936 uniforms. Photo Courtesy: Nick Roark

BIRMINGHAM, AL. – The Tennessee Smokies (27-24) fell to the Birmingham Barons (33-19) 6-3 Wednesday in front of an announced crowd of 7, 268 at Rickwood Field, the sixth largest in Rickwood Classic history. Smokies starter Yeiper Castillo fell to 0-1 on the season while Barons starter Stephen McCray (5-3) earned the win.

Arismendy Alcantara extended his hitting streak to 10 early during his first at-bat as the switch-hitter lined a pitch into center field off McCray. Alcantara went 3-for-4 on the day with a tripl

Castillo, making his second start for Tennessee, ran into trouble in the third inning as Barons’ shortstop Marcus Semien brought in the Baron’s first run of the game, grounding out to shortstop and making the score 1-0.

Birmingham continued to rough up Castillo and broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth.  After Castillo gave up a walk and a hit to begin the inning, a throwing error by Alcantara on a groundball to shortstop brought in right fielder Trayce Thompson and led to runners at first and third with no outs.

Wilkins then scored on a single to right field by Jared Mitchell, pushing the score to 3-0.  Castillo gave up a double by catcher Miguel Gonzalez in the next at bat, bringing home designated hitter Dan Black and Mitchell to push the Barons’ lead to 5-0.

Tennessee began a rally in the top of the sixth after a fielder’s choice and a single put Wright and Rubi Silva put runners at first and second.  Third baseman Christian Villanueva then hit a Southern League leading 17th double to drive in both runners, bringing the score to 5-2.

McCray exited and allowed six hits and two earned runs on two walks and two strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched.

Smokies’ catcher Lance Rymel followed Villanueva three batters later with an RBI single to left-center field, his first Southern League hit and RBI with Tennessee. Rymel’s single made the score 5-3

Birmingham added another run back in the bottom of the sixth as Cody Puckett doubled in Miguel Gonzalez, making it 6-3.  Tennessee was unable to push a run across in the seventh and eighth innings, and Daniel Webb pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save for the Barons.

SONY DSC

Smokies Manager Buddy Bailey with Mick Gillispie before the 18th Annual Rickwood Classic. Photo courtesy of John Shadrick

The two teams will continue their five-game series Thursday night at 8:05 at Regions Field. The broadcast will be available on the Sports Animal 990 AM and 99.1 FM.  You can also listen to the broadcast in it’s entirely on smokiesbaseball.com as well as the Smokies mobile app.  To listen online, click here. Mick Gillispie will have the first pitch at 8:05  from Regions Field.

AUDIO RECAP  BARONS 6  Smokies  3

To stay current with all the latest news, follow Smokies on Radio on Twitter and like the Smokies on Radio Facebook page. Nick Roark is a Broadcast Engineer & Media Associate.  You can follow him on Twitter here: @NickRoark4.

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by | · 12:59 pm

Game Preview: Rickwood Classic

The Smokies get an opportunity to play a game at the oldest park in the country. Photo Courtesy: MiLB.com

The Smokies get an opportunity to play a game at the oldest park in the country. Photo Courtesy: MiLB.com

The Tennessee Smokies will partake in the Rickwood Classic against the Birmingham Barons this afternoon at 1:30 PM ET from historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham.  Considered one of the most sacred baseball grounds in all of the country, Rickwood Field was home to the Barons from 1910-87.

WHAT’S AT STAKE: After last night’s 3-2 victory over the Barons, the Smokies have the chance to move within 3.5 games of first place in the Southern League’s North Division.  The Smokies (27-23) also have the chance to move five games over .500 for the first time this season.  They are winless in five previous tries to achieve this feat.

RICKWOOD CLASSIC: For the third time in their history, the Smokies will participate in the Rickwood Classic at Rickwood Field in Birmingham.  The Rickwood Classic has been taking place annually since 1996 at Rickwood Field, America’s oldest in-use ballpark.  The Smokies will wear jerseys representing the 1935-36 Knoxville Giants of the Negro Leagues while the Barons will wear the jerseys worn by the 1948 Birmingham Black Barons, also of the Negro Leagues.

TODAY’S STARTERS:

Tennessee: Yeiper Castillo (0-0, 1.50 ERA): Castillo was added to the rotation on May 24th when Dallas Beeler was put on the DL.  In his first start against the Huntsville Stars, Castillo went six innings allowing just one run on three hits and zero walks.  He also tallied seven strikeouts but did not factor in the decision.

Birmingham: Stephen McCray (4-3, 3.12 ERA): After an impressive month of April (3-0, 2.14), McCray has not enjoyed the same success in the month of May.  He is 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA during May including a loss to the Smokies back on May 11th when he surrendered five runs, four of them earned, on nine hits in seven innings.  McCray last pitched on May 23rd at Jacksonville receiving the no-decision allowing three runs in five innings of work.

LAST TIME OUT: Behind another strong start from Kyle Hendricks, the Smokies won a pitcher’s duel over the Barons 3-2 last night at Regions Field.  Hendricks (5-2) allowed two runs in 6.2 innings for his 4th straight win.  Offensively, the Smokies were paced by Arismendy Alcantara who hit his 8th home run of the season and extended his hitting streak to nine games.  Frank Batista went 1.1 innings to earn his seventh save of the season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Christian Villanueva: Villanueva was the only Smokies player to record a multi-hit game last night going 2-for-4 with a run.  He is tied for the Southern League lead with 16 doubles and is now 9-for20 on the season against the Barons in five games.

Elliot Soto: The Smokies shortstop went 1-for-3 last night including the go-ahead RBI to make it 2-1 Tennessee in the top of the 5th inning.  The RBI was Soto’s fourth of the season and first since May 10th against Birmingham.  Three of Soto’s four RBI’s this season are against the Barons.

Marcus Semien: Birmingham’s tablesetter picked up a hit in five plate appearances last night including an RBI single in the 7th inning.  Semien’s 53 hits on the season lead the Barons and are good for fourth in the Southern League.

Cody Puckett: A journeyman in his sixth season in the minor leagues, Cody Puckett has played his best baseball this season against the Smokies.  After his 1-for-4 outing last night, Puckett is now 11-for-26 with seven RBIs against the Smokies in 2013.  36% of Puckett’s hits and 41% of his RBIs have come against Tennessee.

KEY TO THE GAME: Four has been the magic number for Smokies pitching against the Barons this season.  Birmingham is 4-0 against Tennessee when they have scored over four runs, but the Smokies are 2-0 against the Barons when Birmingham has scored four runs or less.

TUNE IN: The broadcast will be available on ESPN 106.3 FM in Sevierville and WJFC 1480 in Jefferson City tomorrow afternoon beginning at 1:00 ET with the Pilot & Oscar Mayer Pregame Show. You can also listen to the broadcast in its entirety on smokiesbaseball.com as well as the Smokies mobile app. 

To stay current with all the latest news, follow Smokies on Radio on Twitter and like the Smokies on Radio Facebook page.

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by | · 11:14 am

Knoxville Giants more than baseball players

The 1936 Knoxville Giants will be honored today as the Tennessee Smokies wear these uniforms at Rickwood Field. Photo Courtesy: Knoxville News-Sentinel

The 1936 Knoxville Giants will be honored today as the Tennessee Smokies wear these uniforms at Rickwood Field. Photo Courtesy: Knoxville News-Sentinel

It’s been 77 years since fans in Knoxville entered the gates at Leslie Street Stadium to cheer on the 1936 Knoxville Giants.  Today, spectators will once again have the chance to watch the Giants, this time at Rickwood Field.

The Tennessee Smokies, wearing the uniforms of the ’36 Giants, will pay homage to the Negro League team as they face the Birmingham Barons, who will honor the 1948 Black Barons team that featured the likes of a young Willie Mays.

Once deemed “one of the fastest baseball teams in the south,” the Knoxville Giants seemed to be a team to be reckoned with.  While records have yet to be found indicating the team’s final record in 1936,  the ’34 Giants were 53-7 in late October, often playing games on the weekends to work around full-time occupations.

In fact, baseball was a part-time occupation for everyone involved.  The ’36 Giants were made up of tailors, teachers, carpenters and other everyday occupations.

Rickwood

A photo from Rickwood Field as the Smokies last faced the Birmingham Barons at the Rickwood classic in 2010. Photo Coutesy: Baseballparks.com

Take for instance manager Jefferies Ballentine.  Ballentine was a valet at the James Madison Hotel in Knoxville.  Theodore “Ted” Gross, whose brother Cecil also played on the team, graduated from Knoxville College in 1930 and taught at Maynard Elementary School when he was not shagging down fly ball for the Giants.

But beyond the occupations, the men that made up the 1936 Knoxville Giants were pioneers, paving a way for African Americans to compete equally with whites on a baseball diamond.  Those daily struggles made the ’36 Giants what they are most remembered as today, heroes.

Sadly, small pieces of history are all that remain from that era of Negro League baseball, depriving us today of knowing the great men who made it possible for players like Jackie Robinson and Mays to make the impact they did in Major League Baseball.

Ballentine and the Gross brothers are the only three members of the ’36 Giants known to be on record as part of the team.  From there, research leads to dead ends and the remaining members of the 1936 Giants are best stated as educated guesses.

The 1934 Giants went into late October with a record of 53-7. Photo Courtesy: Mark Aubrey

The 1934 Giants went into late October with a record of 53-7. Photo Courtesy: Mark Aubrey

Therein lies the tragedy of the Negro Leagues.  Few pieces of history exist that show the full story of most Negro League players, due to the color of their skin and the prejudice cast down by white media members unwilling to cover minority sporting events.

But Wednesday will be a remembrance for all Negro Leaguers, from well-known players such as Satchel Paige to lesser-known players such as the Gross brothers.  Whether remembered or forgotten, they’ll all be honored when two interracial teams take Rickwood Field to compete equally against one another.

Special thanks to Knoxville baseball historian Mark Aubrey for his research regarding the Knoxville Giants. To learn more about the Knoxville Giants, visit oldknoxvillebaseball.blogspot.com.

Nick Roark is a Broadcast Engineer & Media Associate for the Smokies Radio Network.  You can follow him on Twitter here: @NickRoark4. 

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