Built by local industrialist A. H. "Rick" Woodward, Rickwood Field opened on August 18, 1910, and is the oldest surviving baseball park in America. It served as the home park for the Birmingham Barons until 1987 and the Birmingham Black Barons until 1963, and it was also a favorite site for barnstorming Major League teams. Many greats of the game played here, including Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Ty Cobb, Burleigh Grimes, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Walt Dropo, and Reggie Jackson. Black Barons sensation Satchel Paige faced Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and other Negro Leagues legends here, and in 1948 a 16-year-old rookie from Birmingham named Willie Mays led the Black Barons to their Negro American League championship on this field.