Turkey Stearnes Field takes root at historic Hamtramck Stadium

Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium co-founder Gary Gillette (left) and retired auto designer Vince Geraci present the family of Baseball Hall of Famer Norman "Turkey" Stearnes (daughters Rosilyn and Joyce and granddaughter Vanessa) with custom commemorative baseball jerseys Sept. 29 at Hamtramck Stadium.

  

Story and photos by Dave Mesrey

HAMTRAMCK, MICH. — Last month, the City of Hamtramck and the Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium teamed up to give the newly renovated baseball diamond at the former home of the Negro League Detroit Stars a new name: Norman "Turkey" Stearnes Field. 

Stearnes, the Hall of Fame outfielder who starred for the Stars in the 1930s at the old ballpark on Dan Street, helped pave the way for Jackie Robinson to break the Major League Baseball color line in 1947.

Born in 1901 in Nashville, Tennessee, Stearnes remained in Detroit after his baseball career and worked for Ford Motor Company for 27 years at the Rouge plant in Dearborn. He died in 1979 and was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.

The city and the Friends honored the Stearnes family in a moving dedication ceremony last Tuesday in front of the ballpark's dilapidated 1930 grandstand. Now with its brand-new grass infield and its gorgeously restored basepaths, Hamtramck Stadium is one step closer to a rebirth. 

"A generation of Negro League players — Turkey Stearnes and all his teammates — played here and made an impact here and leave their spirits here," said Hamtramck mayor Karen Majewski. 

Hamtramck mayor Karen Majewski.

"We see the vision and how many people and how many organizations have been inspired by that," she added. "I hope to see you all here in the spring when the sports clinics start. ... The field is absolutely beautiful, and it's a beautiful, beautiful thing that you're all here."

Longtime baseball historian Gary Gillette, co-founder and chairman of the Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium, helped put the occasion in perspective.

"The past is what brought us here, and the past is what makes this special," he said, "but what's gonna make this place come alive are the youth of today. We're doing this for the children of Hamtramck today and tomorrow and next year and the following year."

Detroit Warriors first baseman Kole Waterman helps break in the new infield at Hamtramck Stadium.

Turkey Stearnes' family, represented by his daughters, Joyce Stearnes Thompson and Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown, and his granddaughter Vanessa Ivy Rose, was presented with custom commemorative jerseys designed by retired automotive designer Vince Geraci. 

Geraci's unique design combines the Old English D of the Tigers' home jerseys with elements of the classic Detroit Stars jersey. 

"For the first time in history," Geraci said, "the wide blue band and the Old English D are together as teammates." 

Geraci said he hopes his design can someday serve as an alternate away jersey for the Tigers to honor the Detroit Stars and Turkey Stearnes — "a wonderful person, and we honor him today."

Longtime baseball coach Mike Wilson, president of the Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium, was thrilled to be back in the city of his youth. "I’ve come full circle from my roots in Hamtramck," he said, "and I feel fortunate to be a part of this valuable project." 

Wilson's background at Detroit's Woodbridge Baseball Academy gave him valuable insights into the process of constructing a professional baseball diamond, and the results on Turkey Stearnes Field speak for themselves. 

"It's great to be back here today to honor the history of this site, and I look forward to all the great things to come," Wilson said. "I'd like to thank my colleagues on the board of the Friends and with the City of Hamtramck, as well as the Hamtramck Stadium Grounds Crew for their dedication. And a special thanks to Mike Thompson and Nick Burgess for their generous donation of topsoil and sod."

FHHS president Mike Wilson.

Hamtramck Public Schools superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, a longtime educator and student of history, said that Hamtramck Stadium serves as a symbol of resilience, sportsmanship, and unity centered on the love of baseball.

HPS superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed.

"Through the work of collective efforts, the restoration process has brought back life to this historic site," she said. "All involved in preserving and protecting this site have given more opportunities for talent to grow, for families to create memories, and for our city to thrive. 

"Old places indeed have souls," she said. "Let's continue to preserve the past for the future."

The event was a transformative one for Rose, who called it “anti-racism work in action.” 

“The naming of the field symbolizes people from different backgrounds coming together to uphold unity, love, justice and truth,” she said. “In Africa, naming is a form of honoring and empowerment. The field being named after Grandpa Turkey truly is justice for all the Negro Leaguers who were worthy of being seen, valued, and recognized as contributors to America’s favorite pastime.

"Being so quiet and reserved," Rose added, "Grandpa Turkey always let his bat do the talking when he played, and even though I never had the chance to see him play, I can still hear him loud and clear." 

Rose's mother, Joyce, said that while this year should've seen a bigger celebration of the Negro Leagues' centennial anniversary, 2020 instead has been filled with hatred, tragedy, and racism. 

"But today," she said, "we can erase that from our minds and fill our hearts with love and joy."

Joyce Stearnes Thompson.

Stearnes' daughter Rosilyn said she's thrilled to see the legacy of the Negro Leaguers continue at Hamtramck Stadium.

"I just want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the things everybody has done in honor of my dad," she said, choking back tears. "Please encourage your kids to get active in baseball. ... Thank you from the bottom of my heart." 

Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown.

Tom Derry, founder of the volunteer Hamtramck Stadium Grounds Crew (formerly the Navin Field Grounds Crew), has long been a fan of the Detroit Stars and even sported a classic Stars jersey on his wedding day at the old Tiger Stadium site in 2014. 

Tom and Sarah Derry on their wedding day in 2014.

"I want to say what a thrill it is to be standing right here on this spot, where 90 years ago Josh Gibson played catcher for the Homestead Grays," Derry said. "The history here at Hamtramck Stadium just amazes me every time I come out here.

Hamtramck Stadium Grounds Crew founder Tom Derry.

"This field means a lot to us," Derry said. "We're honored to be working with the City and with the Friends, and we're excited not only to preserve baseball history, but also to help the community — because this isn't just a baseball field, but a field for everybody to enjoy. We're excited to be here, and we hope to maintain this field for a long time to come." 

Renovation of the historic grandstand is expected to begin in 2021.

Turkey at the bat

Kadir Nelson/John Collier

Updated May 8, 2021

The land where turkeys roam Remembering Hall of Famer Turkey Stearnes on his 120th birthday.

By Tom Derry | Hamtramck Stadium Grounds Crew

The great Negro League ballplayer Norman “Turkey” Stearnes was born on this date in 1901 in Nashville, Tennessee. Stearnes claimed he got his nickname because of the potbelly he had as a child. Others have said he got it because of the way he flapped his arms when he ran the bases.

Young Turkey Stearnes started out as a pitcher for Pearl High School in Nashville. When he wasn’t in school or practicing ball, Stearnes would work any job he could find. He delivered groceries, drove wagons, and even slopped pigs. 

It was during this time that his father died.

Stearnes wasn’t the only Hall of Famer to play for the Detroit Stars, but he was the greatest player the team ever had — and one of the finest players in the history of baseball. After more than 20 incredible seasons in the Negro Leagues, the fleet-footed center fielder retired in 1942 with a hefty lifetime batting average of .344.

Most people assume that Josh Gibson hit more home runs than anyone else in Negro League history.

But research has shown that the official all-time leader is Turkey Stearnes, with 176 four-base clouts.

“I never counted my home runs,” Stearnes once said. “If they didn’t win a ballgame, they didn’t amount to anything. That’s what I wanted — to win the game.”

Stearnes started his Negro League baseball career with the Nashville Giants in 1920. After one season with the Montgomery Grey Sox, Stearnes joined the Detroit Stars in 1923. Stearnes led the Negro National League in home runs that year, and would lead the league five more times throughout  his illustrious career.

In the 1920s, the Detroit Stars played their home games at Mack Park, at Mack and Fairview on the city's east side. After a terrible fire there in 1929, Detroit Stars owner John Roesink built the team a new stadium in Hamtramck, and Stearnes and his teammates had a new home for the 1930 season.

That year, Stearnes batted .353 for the Stars, leading the team to a postseason matchup against the St. Louis Stars. Stearnes put on an incredible hitting show, batting .481, clubbing three homers, and knocking in 11 runs. 

One of his blasts was reported to have traveled over 500 feet.

But in the end, St. Louis won the best-of-seven series, four games to three.

“He hit the ball nine miles,” said former Negro Leaguer Jim Canada. “He was a show. People would go to see him play.”

In the midst of the Great Depression, the Detroit Stars soon faced financial difficulties, and Stearnes wound up playing for several other Negro League teams in New York, Kansas City, Chicago, and Philadelphia during his career.

Pitching legend Satchel Paige once said that Stearnes was “one of the greatest hitters we ever had. He was as good as Josh [Gibson]. He was as good as anybody who ever played ball.”

The best player I ever saw play for the Detroit Tigers was Al Kaline. He was a complete player.

Baseball historian Bill James ranked Kaline as the 90th greatest baseball player ever.

James ranked Stearnes as the 25th best.

Detroit baseball fans from the 1970s remember how Mark Fidrych talked to the baseball. Turkey Stearnes talked to his bats. He carried his favorite bats around with him in a violin case and believed they were living things, extensions of his own arms.

After games, teammates would hear him thank his bat when it delivered a big hit. Sometimes he would scold them after hitting a weak pop fly.

One teammate recalled that Stearnes once told a bat, “If I had used you, I would’ve hit a home run.”

“Stearnes was very particular about his bat,” said Hall of Famer Judy Johnson. “If he made an out, he’d sit there holding it and talking. ‘I hit that good,’ he’d say. I believe sometimes he carried that bat to bed with him.”

Stearnes was also an outstanding outfielder. 

“Everyone knows Cool Papa Bell was the fastest man,” said Negro Leaguer Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe. “But Cool Papa Bell couldn’t field with Turkey Stearnes. He was faster, but Turkey Stearnes was one of the best fly-ball men.”

“If they don’t put him in the Hall of Fame,” said Bell, “they probably shouldn’t put anyone in.”

In his prime, Stearnes was denied the chance to play in the white "major leagues" because of the color of his skin. 

“They had to deal with discrimination and all of the crap that goes along with that," says Stearnes's daughter Rosilyn Brown. But "they weren’t bitter at all about not making it to the ‘majors.’ They did it for the love of the game.” 

Throughout his Negro Leagues career, Stearnes spent his offseasons toiling in a local factory, which was owned by none other than Detroit Tigers owner Walter Briggs. Even after Jackie Robinson broke the major-league color barrier in 1947, Briggs refused to sign a player of color to the Tigers. 

After his playing career, Stearnes worked at Ford Motor Company’s Rouge complex for more than 20 years, briefly working in the same place and the same time as a young Berry Gordy Jr.

In his retirement, Stearnes would often attend Detroit Tigers games at Tiger Stadium, preferring to sit with friends in the lower-deck bleachers. And starting in 1974, Stearnes would often find himself sitting in the stands right behind the Tigers' new centerfielder, a Black man from the east side of Detroit who, just like Stearnes, wore the Number 8. 

His name was Ron LeFlore.

“I know a lot of boys, and I have fun out there with them," Stearnes once told The New York Times. "We talk. We discuss things without fighting. It’s a good game. It’s the best game known. You go to see it, you’ll like it.”

In 1946, Stearnes married schoolteacher Nettie Mae McArthur. They had two daughters, Rosilyn and Joyce. Turkey, who passed away in 1979, didn’t live to see his long overdue election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. But in 2000, Stearnes was finally inducted into Cooperstown along with former Tigers manager Sparky Anderson.

Nettie Mae, who played a key role in getting her husband inducted, passed away in 2014.

Both of Stearnes’s daughters live in the Detroit area and are excited about the plans to renovate historic Hamtramck Stadium, one of the five major Negro League stadiums left in the country. 

"This was a special place for him and the Negro Leaguers," says Stearnes's daughter Joyce Thompson. 

"The legacy he left behind is one of peaceful action, hard work, quiet confidence and team unity," says Stearnes's granddaughter Vanessa Ivy Rose. "His birthday is a reminder to continue upon the golden road of greatness he and Grandma Nettie paved for all of us to follow."

The Hamtramck Stadium Grounds Crew is thrilled to help restore the ball field that was once home to Norman “Turkey” Stearnes and the Detroit Stars. When I’m cutting the grass at Hamtramck Stadium, I often think about Turkey Stearnes and his teammates and the 16 other Hall of Famers who once played on this field.

One day last year, I was riding my mower in centerfield and I wondered what Turkey Stearnes would think about our efforts to preserve his old home.

A few seconds later, I saw a large bird walking around near first base.

I rode my mower toward first base, to get a better look.

Sure enough, it was a turkey.

I think he approves.

We’ll take good care of your field, Turkey.

---

Tom Derry is the founder and head groundskeeper of the Hamtramck Stadium Grounds Crew.

Remembering Hamtramck native son Steve Gromek on his 100th birthday

Steve Gromek (left) and Larry Doby celebrate Cleveland's crucial victory
in Game 4 of the 1948 World Series. (Photo: Bettmann/Bettmann Archive)

By Tom Derry

Today marks 100 years since the birth of Steve Gromek in Hamtramck, Michigan.

Gromek, a graduate of St. Ladislaus High School, was one of the greatest players to ever come out of Hamtramck. He even played a role in the integration of Major League Baseball.

Gromek, who started out as an infielder in the Cleveland Indians organization, eventually became a pitcher in 1941. The dependable right-hander pitched in the majors for 17 years, winning 123 games, tossing 17 shutouts, and completing 92 games.

In 1945, Gromek won 19 games for Cleveland despite missing two weeks after injuring his knee while scoring the winning run in a game against Detroit. Gromek was named to the American League All-Star team that year, but the game was canceled due to travel restrictions during World War II.

Gromek would later be traded to his hometown Detroit Tigers, where he would win 18 games in 1954.

But Gromek’s shining moment would come during the 1948 World Series. Player-manager Lou Boudreau made a surprising decision to start Gromek in Game 4 of the fall classic against the Boston Braves at Cleveland Stadium. The Hamtramck native would not disappoint the Indians' skipper.

Gromek pitched a complete game, beating the Braves by a score of 2-1.

The other hero of the game was Larry Doby, whose third-inning homer would prove to be the game-winning run.



Doby’s blast was the first home run hit by a black player in World Series history. The Plain Dealer, the major newspaper in Cleveland, snapped a photo of Gromek and Doby celebrating in the locker room after the game.

The photo of them hugging each other became a signature moment in the integration of baseball. It was only a year earlier that Doby had become the first black player in the American League, just three months after Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier with the National League's Brooklyn Dodgers.

When Doby first joined the Indians, four of his teammates refused to shake his hand, and two turned their backs to him.

But the embrace Doby received from Hamtramck’s own Steve Gromek was something the left-handed slugger would never forget. In his Hall of Fame acceptance speech in 1998, Doby reflected on the photo with Gromek.

“That was a feeling from within, the human side of two people, one black and one white,” Doby said. “That made up for everything I went through. I would always relate back to that whenever I was insulted or rejected from hotels. I’d always think about that picture. It would take away all the negatives.”