For the second consecutive year and the fourth time since 1997, the Chattanooga Lookouts will be playing in the Rickwood Classic, taking on Southern League foe Birmingham Barons at old Rickwood Field in Birmingham Wed. May 30. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. EDT

The Birmingham Barons and Friends of Rickwood announced earlier this week the details of the 17th Annual Rickwood Classic presented by State Farm Insurance.

This year's classic will celebrate War Time Baseball and former two-time MVP and Atlanta Braves star Dale Murphy will be in attendance and will be available for autographs.

Known as the Rickwood Classic, the current Birmingham club, which plays all other home games at nearby Regions Park, hosts one game a season at Rickwood Field, the oldest active baseball park the country.

Worth The Trip: For baseball fans young and old, a game at Rickwood Field is well worth a day at the old ball park.  Fans are allowed on the field after the game to take the mound where former Barons Vida Blue, Catfish Hunter and Satchel Paige once pitched and run the bases or take one's postion in centerfield where hall of famer and former Birmingham Black Barons player Willie Mays played in the 1950s.

Mays and Paige also played in Chattanooga for a short time.

Vintage Uniforms: The Barons will don uniforms from the early 1940's when they were affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds while the Lookouts will also wear period uniforms. The Barons' uniforms will also feature the Hale America "Health" patch, which was worn by both major league and minor league teams during the era. Hale America was a nationwide fitness program designed to promote national physical well being at the outset of World War II and the Health shield was the organization's logo.

Fourth Lookouts Appearance at Rickwood Classic: The Barons have defeated Chattanooga in the three previous contests, in 1997, 12-6, in 2002, 14-4 and in 2011, 4-3. In last years contest, the Barons won on a game-winng home run by Justin Greene in the 11th inning.

"War Time Baseball Theme for 2012 Classic: The theme of this year's Classic, "War Time Baseball" will focus on baseball's connection to America's war-time history. During World War II and the Korean War, hundreds of baseball players served in America's armed forces including Hall of Famers Ted Williams, Bob Feller and Warren Spahn. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt insisted in a letter to the Commissioner of Baseball that the season should continue during the conflict for the morale of the nation.

"We are excited to celebrate the 17th installment of the Rickwood Classic by honoring the sacrifices of countless local veterans," said Barons General Manager Jonathan Nelson. "The Rickwood Classic is a very special event in the Birmingham community and over the years has been recognized nationally as a must-attend baseball game. Along with the Friends of Rickwood, State Farm Insurance and DRASH we are looking forward to providing another fun and memorable afternoon at America's oldest ballpark."

"The Friends of Rickwood are excited about the "Baseball in Wartime" theme for this year's Rickwood Classic, and look forward to honoring those ballplayers who contributed so much to the war effort. The game of baseball provided a rallying point on the home front, and we look forward to paying tribute to those players as well as the Barons teams of that era," said Director of the Friends of Rickwood David Brewer. "We believe that Dale Murphy is an outstanding choice for Classic VIP, and we look forward to welcoming him back to Birmingham and Rickwood Field," Brewer noted.

Murphy spent 18 seasons in the Major Leagues including 15 with the Atlanta Braves while also suiting up for the Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies. A two-time Nation League Most Valuable Player (1982 and 1983), he was also a seven-time all-star while winning five Rawlings Gold Gloves and four Silver Slugger Awards. Murphy was the 1988 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award, given annually for outstanding service in the community. The Portland, Oregon native finished his career with 2,111 hits and 398 home runs.

In 2010, the Rickwood Classic was named Minor League Baseball's Promotion of the Year and in 2009 the event was named the most desirable Minor League Baseball game to attend in a poll on MiLB.com.