New York Mets News: Omari Hardwick, CC Sabathia, Alycia Baumgardner, Lil Rel Howery and more sign-on to compete in ‘BARNSTORM BIRMINGHAM’ on June 19

By Dan Hock

Celebrity Participants Will Play for the “SAY HEYS” or “THE HAMMERS,” Named After Negro Leagues Alumni, Hall of Famers, and Alabama-born Willie Mays & Hank Aaron; Fam Jam Celebrity Softball Game Will Broadcast On MLB Network Prior to “MLB at Rickwood Field” on Thursday, June 20th; Tickets for Fam Jam Celebrity Softball Game, Including Postgame Performance by Global Music Superstar Metro Boomin, on Sale to Public for $24

June 11th, 2024

Major League Baseball and UNINTERRUPTED, the award-winning athlete storytelling brand founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, today announced the latest rounds of celebrities from entertainment music and sports to confirmed to play in ‘BARNSTORM BIRMINGHAM,’ a Juneteenth celebration on Wednesday, June 19th at Rickwood Field that will be centered on a Fam Jam celebrity softball game. Tickets for the game, including a postgame performance by global music superstar Metro Boomin, are on-sale to the general public for $24 at MLB.com/rickwood.

The latest round of confirmed celebrities include:

  • Omari Hardwick – Star of hit TV show Power
  • CC Sabathia – Six-time MLB All-Star; 2009 World Series Champion; 2007 A.L. Cy Young Award Winner
  • Alycia Baumgardner – WBC and IBO female super featherweight champion; WBO IBO and The Ring female super featherweight champion
  • Jalen Milroe – Starting QB of the Alabama Crimson Tide
  • Lil Rel Howery – Comedian & Actor (Get Out)
  • JR Smith – Former NBA Champion; North Carolina A&T State University Golfer; co-host of “PAR 3” podcast
  • Matt Barnes – Former NBA Champion; co-host of “ALL THE SMOKE” podcast
  • Dwight Freeney – Pro Football Hall of Famer
  • Ari Chambers – Founder, HighlightHER; host & writer, ESPN & Andscape
  • Phoebe Robinson – Comedian, Actor, Author and Podcaster
  • Bubba Dub – Comedian

The latest group joins previously announced celebrity participants, including:

  • Ryan Howard – former World Series Champion, All-Star & Most Valuable player
  • Roy Wood Jr. – Comedian; Birmingham native
  • Stephen Jackson – former NBA Champion; co-host of “ALL THE SMOKE” podcast
  • DC Young Fly – Comedian & Actor
  • Sam Jay – Comedian & Actor
  • Terrell Owens – Football Hall of Famer
  • Jameis Winston – NFL Quarterback & former FSU star pitcher

The celebrities will be placed on respective teams named after two sons of Alabama whose legendary, Hall of Fame careers transformed baseball and left an imprint on society. The SAY HEYS are named after Birmingham-born Willie Mays, while THE HAMMERS are named after Mobile-born Hank Aaron. Both players started their historic professional baseball careers in the Negro Leagues, which MLB, MiLB and partners are celebrating through the events at Rickwood Field and in Birmingham.

The June 19th game will broadcast on MLB Network at 2:30 p.m ET on Thursday, June 20th, airing prior to MLB at Rickwood Field. The game will be called by former MLB All-Stars Harold Reynolds and Chris YoungBARNSTORM BIRMINGHAM was launched by Sabathia and UNINTERRUPTED co-founder Maverick Carter, as an extension of UNINTERRUPTED’s Fam Jam, a celebrity event platform that will feature remixed softball celebrating the Negro Leagues in a fresh way.

Ticket offers for BARNSTORM BIRMINGHAM include a bundled ticket offer to the MiLB at Rickwood game being held the day prior on Tuesday, June 18th. The three events Rickwood Field, the country’s oldest ballpark, MiLB at Rickwood (Tuesday, June 18th), BARNSTORM BIRMINGHAM (Wednesday, June 19th), and MLB at Rickwood (Thursday, June 20th), all are in tribute to the Negro Leagues and its players, including Mays. In collaboration with the City of Birmingham, MLB will make a select amount of tickets available for free to local youth and community groups.

Barnstorming was an integral practice of Negro Leagues baseball in an era when teams and players in the Leagues traveled to different communities to promote their style of baseball. Existing and future information on these events can be found at MLB.com/rickwood.

 

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