Former Atlanta Braves star Ryan Klesko had never played at Rickwood Field in Birmingham when he agreed to take part in the home run derby held on Sunday in America’s oldest ballpark.

Klesko hit 11 dingers with his classic left-handed power swing to put up a respectable showing on a cloudy, slightly drizzly afternoon at Rickwood in the last event before construction and renovation begin to prepare it for a Major League Baseball game next year.

Klesko also took time to praise the legendary park, built in 1910, where 181 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame have played including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Fairfield native Willie Mays, who patrolled centerfield for the Birmingham Black Barons in 1948.

Klesko said he’s thrilled that Major League Baseball has announced it will play a game at Rickwood next season, on June 20. The game will officially be known as “MLB at Rickwood Field: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues.” Mays’ old team, the San Francisco Giants, will play the St. Louis Cardinals.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Klesko told AL.com after the derby. “It’s about time. This is one of the most historic stadiums in America. I’m so glad they’re doing it.”

Former Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners star Mike Cameron had played in Rickwood Field before. He played for the Birmingham Barons in 1996 when they returned from the Hoover Met for the Rickwood Classic. Rickwood Field hosted the Rickwood Classic as an annual event from 1988 through 2019, with the Barons returning to their former stadium for one game a season before the pandemic halted the tradition. It will resume with a game set for June 18, with the Birmingham Barons playing the Montgomery Biscuits two days before the MLB at Rickwood game.

“Obviously, it’s a historic piece of the game of baseball,” Cameron said. “With over 100 Hall of Famers coming here to play, that’s pretty spectacular itself. Then, for me, I got to play for the Birmingham Barons, I got to play in the (Rickwood Classic) here, knowing it’s a significant piece of Black history, with Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson and all those guys getting a chance to come through here and play.”

Cameron has stood in centerfield during a professional game at Rickwood, on the same ground where the “Say Hey Kid” stood. “To be a part of that is special in itself,” Cameron said. “For MLB to come back and commemorate one of the most memorable ballparks in the history of Negro League Baseball, it’s special.”

Cameron, famous for once hitting four home runs in one game, remembers playing at Rickwood. “It was hot,” he said. “It was a 12 o’clock game.”

“It’s definitely one of those fields that’s very nostalgic and you have the feeling about playing where all the greats have played,” said Chris Carter, who played for the Houston Astros, Oakland A’s, New York Yankees and the Milwaukee Brewers, where in in 2016 he led the National League with 41 home runs.

“It’s the first time I’ve been here,” said Carter, who still has a powerful swing and played for Puebla in the Mexican League this summer, winning a championship. He hit 7 home runs in the first round of the derby on Sunday and four in the second round, for a total of 11.

Cameron went homerless in the first 3-minute round, but hit one later in an exhibition round. “Now everybody’s got one,” Klesko said.

The home run derby was dominated by younger players. Birmingham-Southern College star Ian Hancock, who won it last year, won again this year. He hit 11 in the first round, edged Klesko in the second round, 8-7, then edged Savannah Bananas player Dan Oberst in the final round, 7-6. On the day, Hancock totaled 26 home runs to lead the field. Oberst had 6 in round one, 5 in round two to edge Carter’s 4 and 6 in the finals for a total of 17 on the day. Miles College player Trey Rutledge also competed and hit two in the first round, where only the top four advanced.

“We’re excited to be here,” Klesko said, who noted that his sons had played travel ball at Rickwood even though he’d never played there. He’s thinking about returning June 20.

“Hopefully I can get some tickets,” Klesko said. “I’ve got some connections.”