Birmingham Barons Explained

Birmingham Barons
Founded:1885
City:Birmingham, Alabama
Uniformlogo:BirminghamBaronsCap.png
Class Level:Double-A (1946–1961; 1964–1965; 1967–1975; 1981–present)
Past Class Level:
  • Class-A1 (1936–1945)
  • Class-A (1902–1935)
  • Class-B (1892–1901)
Current League:Southern League (1972–1975; 1981–present)
Division:North Division
Past League:
Majorleague:Chicago White Sox (1986–present)
Pastmajorleague:
Nickname:Birmingham Barons (1981–present)
Pastnames:
  • Birmingham A's (1967–1975)
  • Birmingham Barons (1901–1961; 1964–1965)
  • Birmingham Reds (1898)
  • Birmingham Bluebirds (1896)
  • Birmingham Blues (1893)
  • Birmingham Grays (1892–1893)
  • Birmingham (1889)
  • Birmingham Maroons (1888)
  • Birmingham Ironmakers (1887)
  • Birmingham Coal Barons (1885)
Colors:Black, red, gray
Ballpark:
Pastparks:
Mascot:Babe Ruff (1992-present)
Lillie Mays (2006-present)
WickyWood (1981-1992)
Dixienum:6
Leaguenum:12
Pennum:10
Divnum:8
Firsthalfnum:11
Secondhalfnum:6
Owner:Diamond Baseball Holdings[1]
Manager:Sergio Santos
Gm:Jonathan Nelson

The Birmingham Barons are a Minor League Baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and plays at Regions Field in downtown Birmingham. The Barons were previously located in Montgomery, Alabama, and known as the Montgomery Rebels.[2]

History

Most of the professional baseball teams that have played in Birmingham have used the name Barons. The current team began playing in Birmingham in 1981, having previously played in Montgomery, Alabama as the Montgomery Rebels. Like previous Barons teams, they played at Rickwood Field on a full-time basis from 1981 to 1987. Since then, they have only played at Rickwood on special occasions. From 1988 to 2012, the team played at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in the suburb of Hoover, Alabama, where former basketball star Michael Jordan played with the team in . Since 2013, the team plays at Regions Field in the downtown part of Birmingham.

As a result of Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Barons were organized into the eight-team Double-A South.[3] In 2022, the Double-A South became known as the Southern League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.[4]

In 2023, Diamond Baseball Holdings purchased the team from The Logan Family.

Playoffs and championships

Television and radio

All Birmingham Barons games are televised live on MiLB.TV.[5] All games are also broadcast on radio on either WJQX 100.5 FM, WJOX-FM 94.5 FM or WJOX-AM 690 AM.[6] Birmingham Barons Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Curt Bloom is the broadcast commentator for both WERC and MiLB.TV and has been the voice of the Barons since 1992.[7]

Notable Barons/A's

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Reitz . Ian . Birmingham Barons sold to new ownership group . WVTM . 13 September 2023 . en . 12 September 2023.
  2. News: 1965-1980 Montgomery Rebels - Fun While It Lasted. 2017-11-18. Fun While It Lasted. 2018-04-24. en-US . mdy-all.
  3. Web site: Mayo. Jonathan. MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues. Major League Baseball. February 12, 2021. June 18, 2024.
  4. Web site: Historical League Names to Return in 2022. Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. June 18, 2024.
  5. Web site: MiLB.tv . Minor League Baseball . July 28, 2017.
  6. Web site: Covering the Barons . Birmingham Barons Media Guide . Minor League Baseball . July 28, 2017 . 108.
  7. Web site: Barons Front Office Staff . Birmingham Barons Media Guide . Minor League Baseball . July 28, 2017 . 105.