The Cause Behind
the Collection
A story of art, legacy, and purpose. How one painting became a movement honoring baseball's legends and the Marines who gave everything.
Steve Sax
A five-time MLB All-Star and World Series champion, Steve Sax played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. After retiring from baseball, Steve became a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist.
In June 2022, Steve lost his son — one of five Marines killed when their MV-22B Osprey from VMM-364 “Purple Foxes” went down during a training flight. That loss transformed his perspective. Babe & The Kids became more than a collection — it became a mission to honor their sacrifice and create lasting impact through the intersection of art, technology, and community.
5x
All-Star
2x
World Series
14
MLB Seasons
Honoring the Purple Foxes
VMM-364 • June 8, 2022
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 — the “Purple Foxes” — has served with distinction since 1961, from Vietnam to Iraq, earning a Presidential Unit Citation and flying tens of thousands of combat hours. On June 8, 2022, five of their Marines were lost when their MV-22B Osprey went down during a training flight near Glamis, California. A mechanical failure no crew could have overcome. None were at fault.
Founded
1961
Marine Corps Air Facility Santa Ana
Combat Tours
Vietnam, Iraq, Desert Storm
Presidential Unit Citation
Lost
5 Marines
June 8, 2022 — Glamis, CA
Their sacrifice drives the mission of the Steve Sax Family Foundation — supporting aspiring aviators and ensuring that the spirit of service embodied by the Purple Foxes lives on through the next generation.
How We Got Here
2008
2008
Steve Sax discovers Opie Otterstad's breathtaking painting at a New York City exhibit. The canvas, depicting baseball's greatest Hall of Famers, immediately captivates him — a masterwork that captures the spirit of America's pastime.
2008–2016
2008–2016
Opie Otterstad continues refining the painting over eight years, adding detail and depth to each Hall of Famer portrait. The painting grows into an epic canvas — a once-in-a-generation artwork that tells the complete story of baseball's legends.
2022
2022
On June 8, 2022, an MV-22B Osprey from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 — the legendary “Purple Foxes” — crashes during a training flight near Glamis, California. All five Marines aboard are killed. The cause: a catastrophic mechanical failure that no pilot could have prevented. None of the five were at fault.
Steve Sax loses his son in the crash. He channels his grief into purpose — creating the Steve Sax Family Foundation and envisioning a project that would honor the fallen Marines and support the next generation of aviators.
2024
2024
Babe & The Kids is born. Steve Sax partners with technologists and artists to bring the painting into the digital age. 200 premium NFTs are created from the original canvas, each one a key to an exclusive community and interactive experience.
2025–2026
2025–2026
The platform launches with a redesigned website, token-gated community hub, and immersive interactive painting experience. Holders join a private club of baseball enthusiasts, art collectors, and philanthropists — all united by their love of the game and commitment to the foundation's mission.
Become a HolderSupport the Foundation
Every NFT purchase supports the Steve Sax Family Foundation.
Learn About the Foundation