Two Former Rebels Take the Diamond at Legendary Birmingham Ballpark

Tim Elko and Jacob Gonzalez took the field for the Birmingham Barons on Tuesday at Rickwood Field.

Feb 23, 2024; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox designated hitter Tim Elko (91) celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago Cubs in the second inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports / Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Former Ole Miss Rebels Tim Elko and Jacob Gonzalez were able to showcase their skills on a national stage on Tuesday night as part of a celebration surrounding the legacy of the Negro Leagues in Birmingham, Alabama.

This week, Major League Baseball has scheduled games at Rickwood Field, the legendary stadium in Birmingham where Reggie Jackson, Satchel Paige, and Babe Ruth all competed.

Rickwood Field was home to the Birmingham Black Barons and the first professional ballpark for former Hall of Famer Willie Mays, who is from Alabama. Mays passed away on Tuesday but will always live in the hearts and minds of baseball fans as his legacy helped blaze the trail for other Negro League players, many of whom played at Rickwood Field.

In honor of Mays' legacy, Major League Baseball scheduled a game between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals to be played at Rickwood Field on Thursday.

On Tuesday, the Birmingham Barons and the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double A ranks played in the opening act of a week filled with celebration of the Negro Leagues. Both teams were wearing Negro League jerseys with the Barons in the Birmingham Black Barons uniforms, who called Rickwood home from 1924 to 1960.

Former Rebels Jacob Gonzalez and Tim Elko were part of this historic moment as their Birmingham Barons competed on MLB Network in front of a national audience.

Gonzalez finished the night 0-for-3 with an RBI sac fly and a walk while Elko went 1-for-4 with a nice line drive single. Both players are having a great year so far in Double A, as they are both hitting over .300 before the break in the Southern League.

The Barons are in first place in the North Division of the Southern League, and both Elko and Gonzo have carved out nice roles with the club as their climb up the Minor League ranks continues.

On the Major League side of things, the parent club of the Barons, the Chicago White Sox, are on pace for one of the worst seasons in MLB history. The South Side Sox will have some decisions to make as their season seems to be over before the trade deadline.

Expect the Sox to be sellers, which could mean call-ups to the show. Gonzalez isn't the top-ranked shortstop for the White Sox, but his versatility to play both positions up the middle is definitely something to look for in the future. Elko started with the Big League club during spring training but was optioned back to Birmingham after a hot start in Arizona fizzled.