Road to Rickwood

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Introducing the American Storytelling collection Feb 10, 2026

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What does it mean to be an American? There’s no one way. At NPR, we think of the American identity as a story - one that's always being rewritten by the people who live it. The American Storytelling collection gathers stories from local stations across the NPR Network - from small town struggles, to natural phenomena, to the intricate histories that build the constantly-evolving tale of our nation. These are our biggest little-known shows. Find them in the American Storytelling channel on Apple Podcasts or on the NPR App.
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Extra Innings: Roy Wood Jr. reflects on Road to Rickwood Jul 16, 2024

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What does a comedian know about baseball? And what can America's oldest pro ballpark teach us about the Civil Rights movement?
In the days leading up to the MLB game at Rickwood Field on June 20, Road to Rickwood host Roy Wood Jr. sat down with NPR's Ayesha Rascoe. They discussed growing up playing baseball in Birmingham, what it was like to interview former Negro Leaguers, and what he hopes this game can bring to his hometown.
Listen to the conversation for a behind-the-scenes look at Road to Rickwood, from the "Sunday Story" on Up First.
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Rebuilding Black Baseball Jun 18, 2024

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Birmingham is about to host a Major League game at Rickwood Field as a tribute to the Negro Leagues. But that doesn't come without its challenges.
On this episode, host Roy Wood Jr. goes back to Birmingham to explore some of the obstacles that prevent more Black youth from taking up America's pastime. He talks to MLB executives, managers, and a player about the importance of promoting this sport within Black communities. Roy also speaks with Birmginham's local baseball community - high school athletes, coaches, parents and the current mayor - to learn how to reignite Black participation in baseball in the city that was once known for carrying the careers of Black baseball legends.
This episode was hosted by Roy Wood Jr. and written & produced by Ben Dickstein and Cody D. Short of AL.com, our partner for this episode.
Our executive producer is Alana Schreiber and our senior producer is Ben Dickstein. Our producers are Jonah Buchanan and AL.com's Cody D Short. Mixing and sound design by Joaquin Cotler and story editing by Ryan Vasquez. Artwork by Xavier Murillo. Original music composition by Squeak E. Clean Studios. Voice tracking by Alt Mix Studio.
Special thanks to Paul Maassen, The Friends of Rickwood Field, Birmingham Public Library archives, AL.com and WBHM.
For more stories on Rickwood Field, check out AL.com.
This podcast is produced by WWNO and WRKF. This episode is produced in partnership with AL.com. Distributed by The NPR network in association with Major League Baseball.
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Don't Fight Back Jun 11, 2024

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In 1964, the Birmingham Barons become Alabama's first integrated sports team. This is 17 years after Jackie Robinson integrated the Major Leagues. What took so long?
Today, we hear how baseball helps desegregate America's most segregated city. Roy Wood Jr. takes us back to 1960s Birmingham, when nonviolent protests for racial equality are met with bombings by the Ku Klux Klan. We learn about the business owner who decides to bring baseball back to Birmingham after a two-year hiatus, this time in an integrated environment. And we hear from some of the players on the city's first integrated team about their experiences on field, in the community and on the buses traveling throughout the Deep South.
This episode was written and produced by Alana Schreiber and hosted by Roy Wood Jr.
Our executive producer is Alana Schreiber and our senior producer is Ben Dickstein. Our producers are Jonah Buchanan and AL.com's Cody D. Short. Mixing and sound design by Joaquin Cotler and story editing by Ryan Vasquez. Artwork by Xavier Murillo. Original music composition by Squeak E. Clean Studios. Voice tracking by Alt Mix Studio.
Special thanks to Paul Maassen, The Friends of Rickwood Field, Birmingham Public Library archives, AL.com and WBHM.
For more stories on Rickwood Field, check out https://www.al.com/rickwood-field/
This podcast is produced by WWNO and WRKF. Distributed by the NPR network. Support from Major League Baseball, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Explore St. Louis.
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Church Pews and Bleachers Jun 04, 2024

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The 1940s are the heyday for Black baseball in Alabama, the peak of the Negro Leagues – starring a high schooler named Willie Mays. But when the Major Leagues integrate, Black teams everywhere start to fold.
On this episode, host Roy Wood Jr. speaks with surviving players from the Birmingham Black Barons about the soaring highs and painful lows of Negro League baseball in Alabama. Roy also explores the struggle for equality and human rights in Birmingham that served as the backdrop of this era. We see how these communities and stories overlap, and how the effort to uphold segregation leads to the temporary end of professional baseball in Birmingham.
This episode was written and produced by Jonah Buchanan and hosted by Roy Wood Jr.
Our executive producer is Alana Schreiber and our senior producer is Ben Dickstein. Our producers are Jonah Buchanan and AL.com's Cody D. Short. Mixing and sound design by Joaquin Cotler and story editing by Ryan Vasquez. Artwork by Xavier Murillo. Original music composition by Squeak E. Clean Studios. Voice tracking by Alt Mix Studio.
Special thanks to Paul Maassen, The Friends of Rickwood Field, Birmingham Public Library archives, AL.com and WBHM.
For more stories on Rickwood Field, check out https://www.al.com/rickwood-field/
This podcast is produced by WWNO and WRKF. Distributed by the NPR network. Support from Major League Baseball, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Explore St. Louis.
To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
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The Holy Grail of Baseball May 28, 2024

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Birmingham, Alabama was one of the fiercest battlegrounds of the Civil Rights Movement. But in order to understand the struggle, you don't have to look any further than Rickwood Field, the oldest baseball stadium in the country. Across more than 113 years, it's hosted Negro League baseball, a women's suffrage event, a Klan rally and eventually, the first integrated sports team in Alabama.
On June 20, Major League Baseball will host a regular season game at Rickwood. Leading up, host Roy Wood Jr. returns to his hometown Birmingham to tell the story of this ballpark. In the first episode, we learn how Rickwood uplifts Black and white communities from the beginning, while also enforcing segregation.
This episode was written and produced by Ben Dickstein and hosted by Roy Wood Jr.
Our executive producer is Alana Schreiber and our senior producer is Ben Dickstein. Our producers are Jonah Buchanan and AL.com's Cody D. Short. Mixing and sound design by Joaquin Cotler and story editing by Ryan Vasquez. Artwork by Xavier Murillo. Original music composition by Squeak E. Clean Studios. Voice tracking by Alt Mix Studio.
Special thanks to Paul Maassen, The Friends of Rickwood Field, Birmingham Public Library archives, AL.com and WBHM.
For more stories on Rickwood Field, check out https://www.al.com/rickwood-field/
This podcast is produced by WWNO and WRKF. Distributed by the NPR network. Support from Major League Baseball, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Explore St. Louis.
To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy

Coming Soon: Road to Rickwood May 17, 2024

Show notes

Birmingham, Alabama was one of the fiercest battlegrounds of the American Civil Rights Movement. But in order to understand the struggle, you don't have to look any further than Rickwood Field, America's oldest ballpark. In this podcast, host Roy Wood Jr. looks at the intersection between baseball and civil rights as MLB gears up to honor the Negro Leagues like never before.
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