Barons raising spirits with simple gesture

A sport that brings out the kid in even its oldest fans should never forget where its true heart beats. Double-A Birmingham certainly hasn't, which makes the newest tradition at Regions Field that much more meaningful.
Debuting in 2013, the state-of-the-art home to one of Minor League Baseball's oldest teams is situated in downtown Birmingham, mere blocks from Children's of Alabama pediatric center. The medical complex opened in 2012 and has nearly a birds-eye view of the ballpark, providing a visual oasis to child patients and their families.

"We've had a relationship with Children's of Alabama," Barons president/general manager Jonathan Nelson said. "They've been a neighbor to us physically and because they're just a few blocks away, it's opened the door for our organizations to be much more than just partners. We hosted the [Southern League] All-Star Game last year, which provided a lot of opportunity for players to interact with kids at the hospital. It's something we do as an organization ourselves, but the uniqueness of the event brought a lot of attention to it. It was a special day for the kids, players and everyone involved."
Like many Minor League teams, Birmingham presents a fireworks show following every home game on Friday nights. It's a long-standing tradition that has proven more beneficial with the medical facility perfectly situated for a free event.
"When ground was broken on the ballpark, [Barons owner] Don Logan had the foresight to see we'd be in the shadows of the hospital," Nelson said. "The fireworks show, which is commonplace around the Minors, was one way we could provide a little enjoyment for the kids. We throw up a countdown on the scoreboard the kids can see so they know exactly when it's going to start."

Barons players watch postgame fireworks at Regions Field. (Kamp Fender/Birmingham Barons)
During the first homestand of this season, however, something new took shape. Barons fan and local insurance agent Nathan Marcus recalled seeing how fans at the University of Iowa football games would stop and wave in unison at the local children's hospital. With home plate at Regions Field and the crowd behind it facing the hospital, Marcus decided to try and bring the University of Iowa tradition to Birmingham.
After some back-and-forth between the Barons and Marcus' employer, All-State Insurance, the Seventh-Inning Wave was born.
Tweet from @PatrickBrickman: How cool is this? Starting tonight, instead of a 7th Inning stretch, the @BhamBarons now do a 7th Inning Wave, where fans wave to the patients at the Children's Hospital of Alabama out in right field. pic.twitter.com/710D58DLXh
"The wave had brought so much buzz and goodwill to the Iowa football program," Nelson said. "When this was brought to our attention by another one of our great partners in the community in All-State, we loved the idea. It just made all the sense in the world for us to get involved with this."
The early-season popularity of the wave has exceeded Nelson's and the Barons' expectations. It's a simple gesture but one that carries a lot of weight and provides a powerful and comforting statement to children who could use one.
"There are folks in the stands taking a moment, and when they're waving, they're thinking about the patients and the families and the employees that are there dedicating their efforts and energy to providing the best healthcare for the children," Emily Hornak, director of cause marketing and corporate partnerships at Children's of Alabama, told AL.com recently. "It's a really wonderful feeling for the people who see that to feel it."

A 'special' moment

It's said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and that's the way the Barons view their new, yet hardly original, tradition. The gesture adds another layer to the fun and innocence that often separates the Minors from the more buttoned-up traditions of Major League Baseball.
"Everyone at the stadium gets involved. It's contagious," Nelson explained. "We've had a limited number of home games so far, but it's already caught on in an incredibly positive way. It's special to see a new tradition take shape before your eyes and, considering the substance of this one in particular, it's exciting. We so greatly appreciate that All-State is on board with us for this."
Nelson's sentiments echoed those of Hornak's, who acknowledged even a simple gesture like a wave can buoy the spirits of those who need it most while raising awareness at the same time.
"We love the fans in the stands waving at the kids, and we believe that raises the awareness of Children's of Alabama -- not just to the fans who are there at the game," Hornak told AL.com. "But also, the people they go and talk to and tell. That enthusiasm for Children's of Alabama is able to spread even beyond that moment in time when folks stand and wave at kids in the hospital."
The new tradition will soon evolve further, as children in the hospital will be given flashlights so they can "wave back" at the fans at Regions Field. It's an added element to an event that becomes more personal and intimate with each passing game.

"I speak from experience, having a daughter [Sophia] who was at the hospital for a time during the season," Nelson said. "The wave wasn't around, but I know the impact the fireworks can have on them. The kids all run over to the windows and it creates a little more excitement in what is often serious situations for many of them. I'd like to add that while the Seventh-Inning Wave is a terrific addition, it's just one of many things we do philanthropically.

"The White Sox have a great philosophy to not only develop our players on the field but by positively impacting our community. To that end, our players take part in numerous off-field activities, many of which include the Children's of Alabama. During Sunday home games we have patients and their families throw out first pitches, just to get them out of the hospital for a little while. We're always trying to raise the bar in what we can do for others."
In a society where winning and losing so often take center stage, Nelson understands that his job goes far deeper than simply running a ballpark that allows players to develop and graduate to the next level of the Minors. Baseball may always be dominated by statistics and who ends up the next big Major League star, but the sixth-year general manager subscribes to other ideas of what the game is about.
"I learned early on that we're in the memory-making business," Nelson said. "It's our goal to continue that for everyone who comes to Regions Field. With the wave, fireworks and other things we take part in, hopefully it can make these kids' lives a little better, if only for a few minutes."