Rickwood Field outfield wall advertisements
The Rickwood Field outfield wall advertisements were originally part of the business operation of Rickwood Field during its heyday as home field for the Birmingham Barons and Birmingham Black Barons between 1910 and 1987.
In 1992 an advance location team from Regency Enterprises scouted the then-dormant Rickwood Field as a possible location for a biographical feature film about Ty Cobb. Their interest spurred the formation of the Friends of Rickwood nonprofit to undertake the preservation and restoration of the stadium. They gathered enough funding to stabilize the property enough to allow for film production.
Los Angeles, California-based Graphic designer Ted Haigh prepared drawings for period-style advertisements on the outfield wall, many recognizing contributors to the preservation, which were executed by Skidmore Sign Company.
The resulting feature, entitled Cobb and starring Tommie Lee Jones opened in 1994. The stadium also served as a location for the 1995 HBO movie Soul of the Game, and 18 years later for 42, portraying Jackie Robinson's signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Signs
2009
At the time of the 2009 Rickwood Classic, the following outfield advertisements were in place:
- Outside of left field fence: "Bull Durham" painted in white letters on the green wall of the metal shed, along with a 1-color logo of a bull with the words "Smoking Tobacco" on its flank. (2008 photo by Wes Frazer
- Between fence and left foul pole:
- upper: "Woodward Iron Company" in turquoise block letters and peach-colored script on a burgundy background, sponsored by the descendants of Rick Woodward. An image of an iron furnace appeared, along with the slogan "Growing with Birmingham. Independent since 1883".
- lower: undecorated green padding and the "321" marker for the foul line length.
- Adjacent to left foul pole:
- upper: