From his childhood – when he would “run everywhere” – to his days as a Major League second baseman who stole 444 bases (and ran, not jogged, to first base when he was walked), was selected to five All-Star teams and won two World Series championships with the Dodgers, Steve Sax has always known one speed: fast.
That speed was coupled with passion. Sax was passionate about baseball beginning in his youth, so much so that he attained heights in the game that few reach. But an even greater passion blossomed when he became a father.
“: I was extremely close to my son, as I am with my daughter,” Sax said. “I’m very close to my kids.”
When Steve’s son, John, died in a military aircraft accident in , he was shattered. But he has channeled his devastation into what he knows how to do so well: move forward.
“It’s one of those things where it never goes away or gets any better,” Steve said of the pain over losing a child. “You just try to move forward. That’s all you can do.”
Through the Capt. Sax Foundation, Steve has raised money toward helping young people with dreams similar to those of his son achieve those dreams. And in his latest project to that end, he has teamed with renowned sports artist Opie Otterstad to blend his passion for baseball with his son’s passion for flying, all to honor John and continue producing hope from tragedy.
The project centers around a painting titled “Babe and the Kids.” Steve first encountered the artwork during All-Star week in , and was immediately captivated.
“I saw this painting after getting an invitation to an exhibit in New York City,” Sax said. “This thing was under a light and it was showcased. As soon as I walked in, I said, ‘I’m buying that painting.’”
Sax has now digitized the painting into an NFT and placed it on the Ethereum blockchain, minting 200 limited edition copies for sale, with a portion of the proceeds going directly to the Capt. Sax Foundation. The foundation aims to help aspiring aviators overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams.
“Babe and the Kids” was a labor of love for Otterstad, taking more than eight years to complete due to the extensive research involved. The painting is based on an iconic photograph of Babe Ruth surrounded by children during a barnstorming tour, but Otterstad added a unique twist: he populated the scene with future Hall of Famers.
“In our library, we have about 1,200 books on baseball,” Otterstad said. “And I would come across that photo in many of them. And I would look at all the kids’ faces and I would wonder if any of them grew up to become someone of note. And then I thought, ‘Well, what if they all grew up to be someone of note?’”
Otterstad meticulously gathered childhood photographs of Hall of Famers, visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown twice and contacting players directly. He even substituted images when originals proved elusive. “I called Juan Marichal because I couldn’t find a photo of him as a kid,” Otterstad said. “And he said that was because none exist. And the other one I couldn’t find was for Roy Campanella. So in the painting, Campanella is actually his son, who is a dead ringer for Roy. And for Juan Marichal, I chose an image of his daughter, who is also a dead ringer for what he would look like as a kid.”
There’s a poignant connection between Steve and his son embedded within the painting, one that Steve couldn’t have foreseen when he first saw it. John Sax bore a striking resemblance to his father. “When my mom saw my son for the first time, it took her breath away,” Steve said. “She said, ‘That’s Steven.’ I used to tell John all the time — I said, ‘I feel sorry for you, son … when you grow up, you’re going to look exactly like your dad.’ We were like carbon copies.”
John’s passion mirrored his father’s intensity. While Steve pursued baseball, John dreamed of flight. His fascination began with a ride in a World War II-era biplane as a boy. That passion faced hurdles. While aspiring to become a Navy jet fighter, John injured his elbow. After recovery, he was told he needed treatment for an astigmatism. He persevered, eventually earning his Marine “Wings of Gold” in .
“The essence of the foundation, or the mission of the foundation, is to help other aviators, people that have a quest to become an aviator, a love for flight, to accomplish that goal,” Sax said. “We’re going to help those same people that face obstacles in their quest to become a great aviator.”
The foundation funds grants and scholarships to students and schools supporting the development of successful aviators. Steve Sax’s initiative is part of a growing trend of leveraging NFTs for charitable causes.
The NFTs offer more than just financial support. Purchasers of the 150 NFTs available for sale at $15,000 each will have a voice in directing the foundation’s grants and scholarships. “The NFT has what’s called a utility attached to it,” Steve said. “And that utility is that everybody who owns one, we’re going to become a team. And every year, we’re going to have an event where we all get together and everyone’s going to give their input on what we should do the next year to raise money for the foundation.”
Otterstad believes the painting itself holds a power that transcends its artistic merit. “I just made a big painting, and someone saw a greater meaning in it than I had even intended,” he said. “And that speaks to the power of the work itself, that I have nothing to do with. It very much has a life of its own once it leaves me. It goes on to be its own thing. And for whatever reason, Steve walked in and saw that painting in a gallery full of people, and that painting struck him that way because of his memories and his history and his love for his son. And that’s amazing.”
The digitized version of “Babe and the Kids” enhances the experience, allowing viewers to hover over each Hall of Famer’s face to access videos about their careers and learn about the painting’s creation.
For Steve Sax, the project is a lasting tribute to his son. “This is how we can honor my son,” he said. “And that is so important to me.”
