The story of Rickwood Field, America's oldest ballpark, began in 1910 when millionaire Birmingham industrialist A.H. "Rick" Woodward brought the Barons from J. William McQueen. Until this point, the Barons had played all their games since their inception in 1885 at the Slag Pile, which seated 600 and was leased 60 days at a time.

Woodward announced plans to build the first concrete-and-steel ballpark in the minor leagues (and the fifth in all of baseball at the time). Woodward consulted with Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics during an A's exhibition game in Birmingham. Mack helped lay out the site of the diamond and suggested the installation of wooden louvers between the top row of the grandstand and the roof. The original layout mirrored Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

A newspaper decided the name of the new structure, Rickwood Field, through its use of the first name and part of the last name of the owner. By the time Rickwood was ready for baseball in August 1910, the project cost had increased to a staggering $75,000 for the 7,000 facility.

The Barons played their first game at Rickwood against the Montgomery Climbers on August 18^th, 1910. A crowd estimated at 10,000 jammed into the new facility for the opener. In true style, Woodward threw out the first pitch (for real, not for ceremony) and handed the ball to Harry Coveleski with a 1-0 count on the first batter. Barons' manager Carlton Molesworth scored the first run in the new park. The Barons trailed 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth and scored twice to beat the Climbers by a 3-2 final.

In tradition which dates back to 1996, the Barons return to Rickwood Field once per season to play the "Rickwood Classic," a "turn back the clock" game to honor the history of baseball in the city of Birmingham. The annual induction class of the Barons Hall of Fame is announced during the Rickwood Classic, as well.

Rickwood celebrated its 100th year on Aug. 18, 2010, as it became the first ballpark in America to reach the historic centennial figure.