SL1 Birmingham Barons

Barons Announce '09 All-Star Week Festivities

Published on October 15, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Birmingham Barons announced Wednesday that the team will be holding an All-Star Home Run Derby and Celebrity Softball Game as part of the events involved in the 2009 Southern League All-Star Week. Virginia College will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Home Run Derby and Celebrity Softball Game, both of which will be held in Birmingham at historic Rickwood Field on Sunday, July 12.

"On behalf of our nearly 2,000 students and 300 staff members, let me say how happy Virginia College is to be involved with the Barons and the Southern League in this great event," said Mike Largent, the Campus President of Virginia College in Birmingham. " We enable our students to find success in school and in life, just as the Barons and the League have enabled so many players to find success in professional baseball. All of us are about successful careers!"

"We are very excited about hosting the Southern League's premier event in Birmingham next July and are committed to making the Southern League All-Star experience a Major League thrill for Barons and baseball fans," Jonathan Nelson, the Barons General Manager, said. "Being able to showcase one of the finest modern-day baseball stadiums, Regions Park, along with America's Oldest Ballpark, Rickwood Field, will be something special for baseball fans and the coaches and players participating in the All-Star Week festivities. We are proud to partner with Virginia College in hosting this event and are extremely grateful to our partners, the Friends of Rickwood for their support."

The Home Run Derby, which is expected to feature some of the best prospects in the Southern League, and Celebrity Softball Game will kick off the 2009 Southern League All-Star Week. The All-Star Game, presented by State Farm Insurance, will take place on Monday, July 13, at Regions Park. The game marks the first time since 1982 that Birmingham will host the Southern League's premiere mid-season event.

"With Rickwood's rich history of hosting Southern Association and Southern League All-Star events, we are extremely pleased to welcome the 2009 Southern League All-Star Home Run Derby to Birmingham and Rickwood Field," said David Brewer, the Executive Director of the Friends of Rickwood. "With Rickwood having witnessed the play of more than 55 members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the 2009 Home Run Derby participants will be among some very impressive company, and will add their stories to Birmingham baseball history. The Friends of Rickwood extend our most sincere thanks to our partners, the Birmingham Barons, for including Rickwood Field in this tremendous community-level event."

The logo for the Derby and Softball Game was designed by Hartwell Studio Works of Atlanta, Ga., the same company that created the logo for the All-Star Game itself and managed the redesign of the Barons' logos and uniforms last off-season. The newest logo creation features a backdrop and color scheme reminiscent of the roofing and façade of Rickwood Field, which was built in 1910 and is recognized as the oldest baseball stadium in America still in use.

Ticket packages for the All-Star events are expected to go on sale over the coming weeks, and more information related to the game and its associated events is expected to be announced soon as well. For more on the All-Star Week events or the 2009 Barons season, call (205) 988-3200 or visit www.barons.com.

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Southern League Stories from October 15, 2008


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