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Topic:  OT: Opening Weekend Baseball Trip

Topic:  OT: Opening Weekend Baseball Trip
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Andrew Ruck
General User



Member Since: 12/22/2004
Location: Columbus, OH
Post Count: 5,540

Status: Offline
  Message Not Read  OT: Opening Weekend Baseball Trip
   Posted: 2/16/2026 9:42:24 AM 
Took a trip this weekend to celebrate the return of baseball with some friends, my son & his friend/teammate. Just thought I would share in case there are any other adventure seeking baseball fans out there.

Started Friday by hitting up Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. This is the oldest standing baseball field in the country, the former home of the Birmingham Barons. Movies Cobb, 42, and Soul of the Game were all filmed here. It is open to the public, but on this day Miles College was playing their season opener. Really incredible sight, highly recommend. Very well preserved history.

We then rushed over to Tuscaloosa for Alabama's season opener. Nice looking facility, not great sight lines in spots. Right Field reserved for students and was packed. Campus looks more like a movie than any campus I can remember. Endless absurd looking frat/sorority houses. Bama had a big letdown, losing to Washington St 8-4. Stadium was maybe half full.

We then went over to Starkville where my son is a freshman at Mississippi State. We got lucky as they moved Sunday's game into a doubleheader Saturday, so we were there for 7 hours and didn't want to leave. Absolute cream of the crop in college baseball. For decades, the outfield was open and a bunch of southern hillbillies would pull up flatbed trailers to the outfield fence and have elaborate setups to tailgate during the games. When they decided to expand the stadium and close it all in, they kept this tradition by establishing lounge boxes in the outfield that individuals own for the season. They leave grills, fridges, filing cabinets, etc with their own stuff all season. It is absolutely fantastic.

Long story but we had a connection with a MSU booster who had a box and hosted us. It was heavenly to be sitting there in mid-February in beautiful weather watching baseball while fed endless grilled meats. Massive crowd nearing 20k were there. I can't adequately describe the kindness and hospitality we were met with. My son now has multiple friends to visit for a drink & snack the next 4 years. One couple offered to have him stay at their house for a concert in Jackson and another offered to take him wild boar hunting. Gorgeous and large college baseball stadium on a beautiful campus, I highly recommend you check it out if you get the chance.

Sunday we had planned to go to Middle Tennessee St because my son's High School teammate was playing there (for Bellarmine), but they moved their Sunday game to a Saturday DH. So after swinging by the birthplace of Elvis Presley, we pivoted to Lipscomb who was hosting Dayton. Unfortunately the game was delayed and we could not stay, but did get to walk around the facility some and see the campus. Very rich part of Nashville, and on the same property as Lipscomb Academy, a ritzy private high school (Trent Dilfer is the head football coach). Cool little field. We hit up downtown Nashville briefly then headed home. We wanted to hit up Vandy but unfortunately they were playing in a tourney at the Rangers stadium.

Great trip to welcome baseball back. I wished OU had Tenn Tech last weekend instead of this coming weekend or that would have definitely been the stop.

Andrew Ruck
B.B.A. 2003

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OhioCatFan
General User



Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 15,488

Status: Offline
  Message Not Read  RE: OT: Opening Weekend Baseball Trip
   Posted: 2/16/2026 10:13:41 AM 
Andrew: Thanks for the travelogue. It was very interesting.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

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BillyTheCat
General User

Member Since: 10/6/2012
Post Count: 10,741

Status: Offline
  Message Not Read  RE: OT: Opening Weekend Baseball Trip
   Posted: 2/16/2026 10:34:02 AM 
Andrew Ruck wrote:
Took a trip this weekend to celebrate the return of baseball with some friends, my son & his friend/teammate. Just thought I would share in case there are any other adventure seeking baseball fans out there.

Started Friday by hitting up Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. This is the oldest standing baseball field in the country, the former home of the Birmingham Barons. Movies Cobb, 42, and Soul of the Game were all filmed here. It is open to the public, but on this day Miles College was playing their season opener. Really incredible sight, highly recommend. Very well preserved history.

We then rushed over to Tuscaloosa for Alabama's season opener. Nice looking facility, not great sight lines in spots. Right Field reserved for students and was packed. Campus looks more like a movie than any campus I can remember. Endless absurd looking frat/sorority houses. Bama had a big letdown, losing to Washington St 8-4. Stadium was maybe half full.

We then went over to Starkville where my son is a freshman at Mississippi State. We got lucky as they moved Sunday's game into a doubleheader Saturday, so we were there for 7 hours and didn't want to leave. Absolute cream of the crop in college baseball. For decades, the outfield was open and a bunch of southern hillbillies would pull up flatbed trailers to the outfield fence and have elaborate setups to tailgate during the games. When they decided to expand the stadium and close it all in, they kept this tradition by establishing lounge boxes in the outfield that individuals own for the season. They leave grills, fridges, filing cabinets, etc with their own stuff all season. It is absolutely fantastic.

Long story but we had a connection with a MSU booster who had a box and hosted us. It was heavenly to be sitting there in mid-February in beautiful weather watching baseball while fed endless grilled meats. Massive crowd nearing 20k were there. I can't adequately describe the kindness and hospitality we were met with. My son now has multiple friends to visit for a drink & snack the next 4 years. One couple offered to have him stay at their house for a concert in Jackson and another offered to take him wild boar hunting. Gorgeous and large college baseball stadium on a beautiful campus, I highly recommend you check it out if you get the chance.

Sunday we had planned to go to Middle Tennessee St because my son's High School teammate was playing there (for Bellarmine), but they moved their Sunday game to a Saturday DH. So after swinging by the birthplace of Elvis Presley, we pivoted to Lipscomb who was hosting Dayton. Unfortunately the game was delayed and we could not stay, but did get to walk around the facility some and see the campus. Very rich part of Nashville, and on the same property as Lipscomb Academy, a ritzy private high school (Trent Dilfer is the head football coach). Cool little field. We hit up downtown Nashville briefly then headed home. We wanted to hit up Vandy but unfortunately they were playing in a tourney at the Rangers stadium.

Great trip to welcome baseball back. I wished OU had Tenn Tech last weekend instead of this coming weekend or that would have definitely been the stop.


The SEC does baseball differently that is for sure. Awesome you got such a great experience with your son.
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Jeff Hill
General User



Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 195

Status: Offline
  Message Not Read  RE: OT: Opening Weekend Baseball Trip
   Posted: 2/16/2026 5:18:25 PM 
Wow. Sounds like a great trip.
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Diamond Cat
General User



Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 954

Status: Offline
  Message Not Read  RE: OT: Opening Weekend Baseball Trip
   Posted: 2/16/2026 8:51:46 PM 
Damn, Billy the Cat! That is a hell of a trip. Southern ball is different. Start with year round weather, SEC crowds, and some very nice facilities and campus sites.

When you head South and play a team with 15-20 games under their belt, it is tough. Hell we were still working on covering first on a sac bunt brother!
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BillyTheCat
General User

Member Since: 10/6/2012
Post Count: 10,741

Status: Offline
  Message Not Read  RE: OT: Opening Weekend Baseball Trip
   Posted: 2/16/2026 10:33:51 PM 
Diamond Cat wrote:
Damn, Billy the Cat! That is a hell of a trip. Southern ball is different. Start with year round weather, SEC crowds, and some very nice facilities and campus sites.

When you head South and play a team with 15-20 games under their belt, it is tough. Hell we were still working on covering first on a sac bunt brother!


Yep I get it. And I wish the Cats started taking real southern trips like they used to do! Maybe soon! I’ve been down to visit the former voice of the Bobcats at USC (he does their baseball pbp) and man it’s a pretty sweet set up.
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