The SWAC baseball tournament has a historic new home beginning this coming spring.
Earlier this week, the city council of Birmingham, Alabama, approved an agreement between the SWAC and the city to bring several conference championship tournaments to Magic City, including the baseball tournament, which will be played at historic Rickwood Field.
Rickwood Field is the oldest existing pro baseball park in the United States, dating back to 1910. The San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals played at Rickwood on June 20, observing Juneteenth as well as acknowledging the Negro Leagues’ impact on baseball.
“[Birmingham hosting these tournaments] will create and foster community pride while providing recreation, entertainment, and opportunities for attendees,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said.
“The city has made a lot of investments in updating our facilities, most recently with Rickwood Field in preparation for this year’s MLB game,” City Councilor Clinton Woods added. “We want to make sure that these facilities are being fully utilized throughout the year. It really helps spur other economic development in these communities as well.”
The SWAC’s track and field championships will also move to Birmingham through the 2028-29 athletic and academic year.
