Pete Van Wieren to Attend Rickwood Classic

HOOVER, AL
- Long-time Atlanta Braves broadcaster Pete Van Wieren will be present when the Birmingham Barons take on the Mississippi Braves at the 14th Annual Rickwood Classic on Wednesday, May 27.

"One of the things I enjoy the most about baseball is the history," Van Wieren said. "Almost all the Minor League parks that were around when I was in the Minors are gone. So it's going to be really neat to be at Rickwood."

Van Wieren, who started off as a broadcaster for the Binghamton Triplets in 1967 before replacing Marty Brennaman as the broadcaster for the Tidewater Tide in 1974, worked for Atlanta Braves from 1976 until he retired this past November.

This won't be Van Wieren's first trip to the old stadium in Birmingham. In 1982, he tossed out the first pitch at the Southern League All Star Game that was hosted at Rickwood Field. That year, the Atlanta Braves traveled to Birmingham to take on the best players in the Southern League. This year's Rickwood Classic will honor that game, as both teams will be wearing the throwback uniforms from 1982.

First pitch for the Rickwood Classic will be thrown at 12:35 PM on May 27. An auction for the 2009 game-worn Rickwood Classic uniforms will be held throughout the game with the winners being announced at the conclusion of the contest. The winner will receive the full, game-worn uniform at a later date.