Emily keeps score! RELATED STORIES Dudley's Journal Take Me Out to Rickwood

A Living Museum

• Rickwood is open seven days a week and offers a self-guided walking tour, which leads visitors around the stands and finally right onto the field.

• From the I-20 West/I-59 South (toward Tuscaloosa) in downtown Birmingham, exit Arkadelphia Road/Legion Field (toward Birmingham Southern College). Turn left onto Arkadelphia Road (or toward the college) and follow the signs (they're small) to Rickwood Field. The street address is 1137 2nd Avenue West.

Take Me Out to the You-Know-What

• Games are played every day but Friday and include adult leagues as well as high school and college games.

• We brought our gloves and ball. There's nothing like catching a fly ball in the same spot where Willie Mays made great saves, or trying your pitching arm from the mound where Satchell Paige commanded his team.

A True American Classic

• Every spring, the Birmingham Barons return to Rickwood for The Rickwood Classic. Both the home and away teams don traditional uniforms that honor a particular era in Barons baseball history.

Plays in Progress

• Rickwood is still undergoing its restoration, so even though the museum is free, donations are greatly appreciated.

• To help raise funds, Rickwood produces a number of souvenirs that anyone can order off the Rickwood website, www.rickwood.com.

The Real MVPs

• Some of the players who graced the field in the old days are still part of Rickwood today. Members of the Black Barons still get together at Rickwood to share stories, and some even umpire the games played today.

• The Friends of Rickwood manages the park and is responsible for the restoration. You won't meet a more enthusiastic fan of the game (and Rickwood) than the Friends' executive director, David Brewer.

After the Game

• Our friends Trey and Lou took us to the Garage Cafe, one of the most unique café/bars we've ever seen. It's an outdoor place with glassed-in "shops" filled with antiques. We've been to so many places that try to engender sophistication and comfort at the same time—this is one of the rare places that does it without trying.

The Garage Cafe
2304 10th Terrace South
Birmingham, AL 35205
205-322-3220