Mobile baseball legends honored in new Hall of Fame Courtyard

“Hammerin'” Hank Aaron and other local legends are being honored as the five Mobile natives inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The City of Mobile revealed plans for a Hall of Fame Courtyard in Cooper Riverside Park. Read on to learn how these Hall of Famers’ legacies live on in their hometown!

Home run for Mobile

Mobile wins by a long shot when it come to Hall of Fame players. Ten states don’t even have one! Mobile has more Hall of Famers per capita than any other community. So, it only makes sense to create something special to honor these players where their game started.

The courtyard will honor the legacies of Hank Aaron, Satchel Paige, Billy Williams, Ozzie Smith and Willie Lee McCovey and hopefully inspire future generations of Mobilians. Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred said Mobile “holds a special place in baseball history.”

“Mobile has produced some of our sport’s most trailblazing sportsmen. I applaud Mayor Sandy Stimpson and his team for giving these Hall of Famers a permanent space on Mobile’s waterfront so future generations of baseball fans can discover their hometown’s contributions to the game we all love.”

Robert D. Manfred, Commissioner, MLB

On the field

Together these Mobile-born players represent a combined:

• 1,730 home runs
• 1,438 strike outs
• 2 MVPs
• 2 Rookie of the Year awards
• 3 World Series championships

Talk about an impressive lineup!

About the Courtyard

Plans for the courtyard were officially unveiled on Tuesday, March 8.

• Who: Michigan-based artist J. Brett Grill will complete the project
• When: Aaron’s statue to be completed later in 2022, the rest will continue over the next year and a half
• Where: 101 S Water St, Mobile, AL 36602

Fans of the game and longtime Mobile citizens are excited to see Grill’s vision come to life. He will be designing and creating 9-foot-tall bronze statues of each of them beginning with Hank Aaron. We can’t wait to get a look at these!

Honoring their legacies

Family, friends and fans are happy to see these legacies honored. Aaron’s widow Billye spoke at the city’s official announcement on Tuesday and said she and many others are so thankful for the tribute.

The Courtyard will be part of a larger project make the City’s downtown riverfront a place for local residents, tourists, events and entertainment. The statues will serve as an entrance into Cooper Riverside Park.

We’re excited to see this Courtyard come to life over the next year and a half. Just another reason to make a trip to Mobile!

Which Hall of Famer are you most excited to see come to life? Let us know by tagging us @thebamabuzz!