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This is painful, but at a time when we should be celebrating one of Birmingham’s biggest moments, we must take a moment to reflect.

It’s not that I didn’t love the ‘Field of Dreams’ major league baseball game at Rickwood. I loved it with all my heart.

Please don’t get me wrong. I thought the game and the events around it were extraordinary.

As Maury Shevin wrote for ComebackTown, “It was a truly stellar event. It could not have been better—from the logistics, the revitalization of Rickwood Field, the national TV audience, the appearance of scores of celebrities, the attendance of former Negro Leagues players and the absolutely incredibly cooperative June weather—well, it was a magical evening.”

Yes, this moment will long be remembered, but I feel we should keep this historic event in perspective.

I’ve always had great dreams for Birmingham.

Growing up in the ‘50s I have a long view of Birmingham that younger people will likely not understand or appreciate.

My dad took me to Birmingham Barons baseball games at Rickwood Field. The Barons’ Southern League foes included the Atlanta Crackers, the Nashville Vols, the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Memphis Chicks. Those cities were our equals and we competed well with them both in baseball and in life.

Today Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans, and Memphis all have major league sports, while Birmingham has none and the Barons play Southern League teams like the Mississippi Braves (Pearl, Mississippi), Montgomery Biscuits, and Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

Our MLB Rickwood event was recognized as the first major league baseball game ever played in the state of Alabama. I’m not sure that never hosting a major league baseball game in our state is a distinction we should take pride.

It saddens me that Birmingham has never been able to recruit a major league sports franchise.

I Googled major cities in the U.S. who do not have major league sports and Birmingham didn’t even show up as a major city. Now that is depressing.

In my youth Birmingham had about the same population as Atlanta and we were larger than Nashville, Austin, Charlotte, and Austin.

There were serious efforts to recruit an NFL franchise to Birmingham. I vividly remember attending a Chamber of Commerce rally to build support for an NFL team.

On August 14, 1966, Benny Marshall, a columnist for the Birmingham News, wrote “A professional football franchise for Birmingham is close enough, almost, to touch… It is not a matter of speculation any more. It is not someone’s idle dream…There will be 28 teams in the combined American and National Football Leagues. Presently, the National has 15 and the American has nine. Four will be added. Bet that Birmingham will be one of the four, and you’re playing a favorite.”

But, of course, that never happened.

Instead Birmingham has cycled through one minor football league after another finally snagging the Birmingham Stallions—but clearly not competing in a major sports league.

We’ve watched as Birmingham, once the Football Capital of the South, lost both the Iron Bowl and the SEC Championship games.

Where did Birmingham go wrong?

In 1948, Birmingham was the second-biggest city in the southeastern United States behind New Orleans.

Birmingham was on the brink of greatness.

What happened?

Other southern cities consolidated their efforts to compete as a region while Jefferson County splintered into 35 competing municipalities.

The City of Birmingham represents 30% of the population of Jefferson County, but is expected to fund all major amenities–sports and otherwise for our region.

The City of Birmingham invested $64 million in Regions Field.

The City of Birmingham is investing $90 million in Protective Stadium.

None of the other 34 municipalities (representing 70% of the population of our county) contributed to these venues or to any other regional venue.

I have a friend who’s working diligently on a major amenity that could change the face of Birmingham. He has talked with elected officials in the over the mountain communities about funding, but has completely struck out.

Jefferson County municipalities, other than Birmingham, are only willing to invest in their own city.

Imagine how great our region could be if we could access government funding and support from all the municipalities in Jefferson County—not just Birmingham.

Our Birmingham region just celebrated an historic week.

With a bit more coordination and collaboration, we could have many more.

David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

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Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. [email protected] .