PERSONAL PREFERENCE FOR #14 in EDGERTON…

In central Wisconsin, Kyle Stearns a student athlete familiar to sports fan in the small community of Edgerton. 

The local high school senior has played baseball most his life.

“It's his true passion,” said his mom who is honest about her son’s ability. “He has been told by coaches he has a gift, something that cannot be coached or taught. He has an incredible arm.”

Stearns is a catcher and pitcher for the Edgerton Crimson Tide varsity baseball team. He plays legion ball during the summer.

According to the WBCA yearbook, Stearns helped lead Edgerton to an 18-4 finish last year and a regional championship.  

Some in Edgerton see Stearns following in his father’s footsteps. Steve Stearns was on the Edgerton Crimson Tide baseball team that won the Class B runner-up at the state tournament in 1979.

“Steve was a very athletic man and in his youth played many sports at Edgerton High School,” said Kristi noting her husband had an extreme passion for baseball. “He loved it; he looked forward to watching his son grow-up and play sports with him.”

In May 1998 when Kyle was 7-years-old, his dad was killed in a work related accident.

For Kyle, baseball grew to be a comfortable distraction.

Within a few years, Kyle’s mom remarried. “I met a man, Gerry Robinson, and I knew right away he would be a part of our lives forever,” she said specifically mentioning Robinson’s interest in athletics and his love of baseball. 

Robinson played a lot of baseball and his bond with Kyle grew almost instantly.

Throwing the ball in the backyard, showing Kyle how to score a game and how to correctly oil and wrap his glove. “We’d tie it tight with shoelaces,” said Kyle who now stands 6-foot-1 and carries a muscular build topped off by a trim, brown buzz cut.

“People say I look like my dad." Kyle begs to differ. “My dad’s hair was shaggy and long …. I’ve never had my hair that long.”

Steve Stearns played shortstop and cast a bigger shadow than his son. “My grandpa always said my dad played fullback and offensive line for football and I’m a receiver and safety,” chuckled Kyle at the drastic difference.

He also said his dad was big and tough. “I just don’t consider myself big and tough,” said Kyle who displays a shy demeanor and quiet confidence.

Kyle’s comfortable talking about his dad and he’s equally eager about his admiration for Robinson. “He’s a really good fit for my sister and me; we needed a father figure,” said Kyle.

Robinson not only stepped into the family, he also found a bond on the field coaching Kyle’s summer little league. “They put me behind the plate. I remember I flinched a lot as a catcher and Gerry taught me how to block the ball,” laughed Kyle about his early years of blinking and chasing balls to the backstop.

“Gerry just seemed to know a lot; I don’t know how he did it but he really helped me,” he said.

MORE THAN A PERFECT FIT…

Aside from the athletic bond between the new dad and his baseball son, there was the jersey; number 14.

“Gerry's number as a kid was always 14, so as Kyle played through little league, and during his junior and teenager years of traveling baseball, his jersey choice was always 14,” said Kristi.

“It was the one thing Gerry and Kyle shared. Kyle was just so proud to have Gerry's number 14 on his jersey.”

In an odd set of circumstances, Kyle’s grandpa Milton Stearns (Steve's father) was going through some boxes at his home and came upon a plaque of Steve's days in high school. 

“He came right over to our house holding something behind his back and asked me about Kyle's jersey and the reason behind the number 14.”

Kristi told him the story of Kyle and Gerry. She said; grandpa just smiled. “He pulled out this picture of Kyle’s dad standing proudly wearing the number 14. We never knew that Steve was 14 as well,” she said.

“My ma called me in to look at the picture and asked me if I noticed anything. I didn’t see it at first and after she told me it was just the weirdest thing,” said Kyle who got a cold chill down his back.

“All three of us wore number 14 and that was just weird.”

Kyle’s mom said it was a very emotional moment for everyone. “Kyle had a wonderful dad who was taken from him too soon and as a result gained another dad and together they all three share this one simple number 14,” she said.

On December 6^th Kyle celebrated his 18th birthday. His uncle took him to get a tattoo which is designed as a tribute to his dads, Steve and Gerry.

On Kyle’s left shoulder, in black ink are angels wings, his dad's initials S.S. and all are wrapped around the number 14.


If you have a good story about personal ties to a jersey number email judy@prepsonthenet.com or call www.prepsonthenet.com at 262-338-8888.