Banners that picture some of the greats of baseball hang outside historic Rickwood Field.

Leroy “Satchel” Paige, Joe Williams, Jim West, Johnny Washington, Roy Campenella and many more have graced the legendary field. Someday, that list may include collegiate players from the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

In what Commissioner Charles McClelland called “a home run,” the Southwestern Athletic Conference built on its decades-long relationship with the city of Birmingham by planning to bring a series of baseball championship tournaments to the Magic City.

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved an agreement with the SWAC to host its baseball championship tournament at Rickwood Field from 2025 through 2029. Under the agreement, the conference also will conduct its indoor men’s and women’s track and field championships at Birmingham CrossPlex the next five years.

An additional unnamed conference championship will also take place in Birmingham during that span.

The SWAC Championships are expected to bring jobs and have a significant economic benefit to the city. The city, under the agreement, will contribute up to $250,000 for fiscal years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029 in financial incentives for the SWAC championships played here.

“We’re very, very excited about the opportunity to host the SWAC tournament here,” said Gerald Watkins, chairman and executive director of Friends of Rickwood. “We’re hoping that will illuminate baseball within those colleges and universities and bring more good athletes into the sport.

“The more good athletes that come into the sport,” Watkins said, “the more likely that there will be an immortal among those classes.”

McClelland said the council’s resolution this week is the continuation of an existing agreement with the city for the SWAC to keep its conference office in the city. It’s also a statement of Birmingham’s commitment to the conference of historically Black colleges and universities.

“We moved here in 1999, and Birmingham has always been an integral part of what we’ve been able to do,” the commissioner said. “This was just more of a solidifying of that agreement, to continue to operate here, do business here and bring championships here. Kudos to Mayor (Randall) Woodfin. He’s been a friend. We’ve spurred a fair amount of economic development for the city, and we look to continue to do so.”

McClelland said Birmingham is the conference’s home. “The innovation, the forward thinking, the ability for us to feel at home and do business here was important for us. We look forward to being here for many years to come.”

Birmingham has been the SWAC’s home for indoor track and field for at least the past two decades. The commissioner said it’s important for the conference to have stability and consistency.

McClelland calls Birmingham CrossPlex “an outstanding facility and great location for us. It’s somewhat central now that we’ve added the Florida schools (Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman universities). CrossPlex definitely serves our needs, and we’re excited to be there another five years.”

Take That, Atlanta!

The SWAC Baseball Tournament was in Birmingham in 2022. Alabama State outlasted Southern University 6-5 in 14 innings in the final at Regions Field. The conference took the tournament to the campus of Georgia Tech in Atlanta before a scheduling conflict prompted SWAC leadership to seek another venue.

“The SWAC has such a rich history in sports,” Watkins said. “And, to be real honest, it’s very cool to think that we’re taking something away from Atlanta.

“This is a natural place because of our history – the past history and the most recent history as well,” the chairman of Friends of Rickwood said. “Now that we have a Major League quality ballpark, there’s no reason for the SWAC or anyone else to have any reservations about coming here and playing.”

Major League Baseball came to Birmingham in June for three days of events.  That included the St. Louis Cardinals edging the San Francisco Giants 6-5 in the first-ever Major League Baseball game at the nation’s oldest ballpark.

Before MLB came to town, the city and Friends of Rickwood made major upgrades to the vintage ballpark to bring it up to Major League standards without erasing its historic charm.

“Since the MLB has come in and renovated Rickwood, our coaches have had high interest in it,” McClelland said. “We were in the city of Atlanta, playing at Georgia Tech. … But the renovation of … Rickwood, it fit our needs,” the commissioner said.

“Obviously, we’re at home. In baseball vernacular, it’s another home run for us being able to merge Rickwood, MLB, Southwestern Athletic Conference and city of Birmingham,” McClelland continued. “That’s just an opportunity that we’re excited about.”