In our travels, we encountered many different kinds of foods and beverages that we had never had before and so we decided to try them all out and film some food reviews.

#1 comes from Busch Stadium in St. Louis, where Joey tried this foot long corn dog on for size.  A half hour prior, Joey had a foot long bratwurst, and so this corn dog was a little slow going down…

We want to take a moment to thank Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia Co. for helping us out with 30 Ballparks in 30 Days. Our friends at M&N believed in our project and gave us great tickets to several of the ballgames along the way.  After our final game in San Diego, Emily brought us awesome Phillies tshirts courtesy of  M&N.  Special thanks to Joanne and Maggie!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Mitchell & Ness, they’re a Philadelphia based clothing company that specializes in vintage inspired team jerseys, tshirts, caps, etc for all major sports. They have stores in Center City and at Citizen’s Bank Park, but you can also visit them online at www.mitchellandness.com.  Check them out now!

The distinction of America’s oldest ballpark belongs to Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.  We visited the ballpark over the weekend and when you walk through the old, wood doors that say ‘No Betting In Park’ in white paint, and step out onto the carefully manicured field, you can feel its history surround you like the warmth of a fire in the cold of winter and you can’t help but feel a chill run down your spine.

It opened on August 18, 1910, and was the home for both the Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons.  On this field is where a 16 year old rookie named Willie Mays led the Black Barons to their 1948 Negro American League championship.  It is where Satchel Paige battled Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and other Negro League legends.  And because of Birmingham’s location, it was a major railroad hub, and Rickwood was a favorite site for barnstorming Major League teams.  Many greats thrilled crowds here, including Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, and Reggie Jackson.  When you’re taking in a game at Fenway or Wrigley, you can feel the spirits of baseball around you, but even those classic parks can’t compare to the feeling you get at Rickwood.  It is truly a national treasure and if you ever find yourself in the area, stop by and check it out.

Many thanks to David who went out of his way on Labor Day weekend to accommodate and open up the park for us.  Read all about Rickwood Field here.