Evelyn Stevens’ journey to all 30 MLB stadiums

A dream born from the love of a husband. An unwavering dedication from a widowed mother and wife. Two daughters determined to honor both. Evelyn Stevens, at the remarkable age of 89, embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime journey that took her to every corner of the United States to visit every Major League Baseball stadium, accompanied by her two cherished daughters. Together, they set out to complete a dream that spanned years, miles and family memories that would mean the most of all.

Evelyn, born in 1935, has been a devoted member of First Baptist Church for nearly 88 years. Her family moved to Cullman when she was just 8 months old, quickly finding a home within the congregation at First Baptist Church. The church became a cornerstone of her life, one that has remained constant through the decades.

“My mother, sister and her aunt and their families were all established at First Baptist, so we naturally went there. I have been there 88 years now,” she shared with fond memories in her eyes.

As a young girl growing up in church, Evelyn was deeply involved in various ministries. She participated in Girls in Action (GAs), where young girls learned about scripture, prayer and giving. She also served in the Young Women’s Auxiliary (YWA), which emphasized evangelism and mission work. Beyond these roles, she attended summer camps, sang in the youth choir, toured with the choir and stayed active in the youth group, all while strengthening her relationship with God.

Remembering back to the most defining moment of her journey, she recalled the day that she was saved.

“It was in Bible school, the commencement part on the last day. The preacher was Bill Piper and there was a tent revival at the time. The tent was where the courthouse is now. The school building that had been there burned, and it was a vacant lot. And so, we had tent revival.” She continued, “The preacher spoke to all of the kids in Bible school and I learned the books in the Bible in Bible school, and I can still say them. It stuck with me. That was in ‘44. I was 9 years old,” she said, smiling at the memory.

Her life, deeply rooted in both faith and Cullman, led her to meet her soulmate, Milton “Bud” Stevens. The two crossed paths at Davis Lumber Company, where Evelyn worked, and Bud, at the time, was a truck driver. He later transitioned into a truck mechanic, a career that would become his lifelong work.

“I was a junior in high school, and he was eight months older than I. They said on my first day there that I said, ‘Who’s that curly-headed boy?’ I don’t remember that, but they accused me of that,” Stevens shared with a cheerful laugh.

When asked about her first impression of Bud, she smiled and said, “He was tall, dark and handsome.”

Bud, standing 6’3, an avid baseball lover and a lefty pitcher with that natural curve only a southpaw can produce, was the package deal that would win Evelyn’s heart.

It took just four years for them to tie the knot. After high school, Evelyn spent a few years at Sacred Heart, a junior college during the 1940s and ’50s. Although she initially planned to attend Auburn, life took an unexpected turn when dorms weren’t available. Instead, she made a deposit for a dorm at the University of Alabama, setting the stage for the next chapter in her life.

However, love won out in the end. With a deposit already in place and life moving quickly, they decided that marriage was the priority. The couple married at Evelyn’s favorite place, First Baptist Church.

For Evelyn, the church had always been a cornerstone of her life, but it was different for Bud. Raised in the country, he grew up attending a Methodist church in his community. After their marriage, Bud agreed to attend First Baptist with her, though Evelyn recalled that he had not yet accepted Jesus into his heart.

“I remember that the first year we were married, we just went to church. The next year, when Renita was born, I thought, he may not go to Sunday school, but this girl’s going to be in Sunday school. So, we started going to Sunday school, and eventually, he did too.”

Years later, Bud would finally accept Jesus into his heart. But even before that, Bud was already known for his honorable character. “Bud was always an honorable person. You did not lie to Bud. He was honest as the day is long, and he expected everybody else to be,” Evelyn shared.

With marriage came children. Two girls, Renita and Amelia, would bless the Stevens household. Renita came first in December 1956 and Amelia would follow years later in June 1960.

Evelyn and Bud (Amelia Stevens-Sutter Moyer)

Evelyn’s work life shifted as the needs of her family changed. She adapted to what was necessary at the time, whether it meant staying home with a newborn or working to save for a down payment on a house.

She spent 10 years doing bookkeeping for Holiday Motors, an Oldsmobile dealership that has since closed. She then worked for another decade in the tax assessor’s office. Eventually, she found her true calling, serving in the district office of an Alabama congressman, a position she held and cherished for 34 years.

It was in that office that she would work for Congressman Tom Bevill for 17 years, followed by another 17 years for Congressman Robert Aderholt. During her time in these roles, she handled West Point appointments and had the opportunity to visit various military academies, including the Naval Academy. After a remarkable career, she finally retired at the age of 79.

“I worked a long time, but I enjoyed it. I still read the newspapers and go by the office weekly. I’m still included in all the fun things, the Christmas party, his birthday fundraiser, just all of the fun things,” she shared.

From kids, to work, to all of the adventures in between, Evelyn and Bud shared 39 years of life together. It was during these cherished years that a simple thought turned into a real dream – to visit all the Major League Baseball stadiums in the U.S. This shared passion would soon become a goal they both wanted to achieve.

In 1994, Bud felt it was time to start making this dream a reality. Both Evelyn and Bud, passionate baseball fans, began discussing how they could visit every stadium. However, their plans hit a snag when the MLB went on strike from 1994 to 1995, leading to the cancellation of the remainder of the season, including the World Series.

Not long after, on July 11, 1995, Bud passed away just shy of their 40th anniversary at the age of 61. That dream, conceptualized by Bud, would lie dormant for the next 10 years.

Ten years later, the dream resurfaced, sparked by a thoughtful idea from Evelyn’s daughters, Amelia and Renita. With their mother growing older, they searched for something truly meaningful to give her – a gift beyond material possessions.

“Renita and I were struggling. This was in 2005. We were trying to come up with something to give Mother. I told Renita, ‘You know what, we can run into Belk, buy tons of things for her to open, and make sure she has gifts. But you know what we really need to give her? It’s our time,'” Amelia shared, recalling the moment that reignited the dream.

“Renita and I had a long conversation about it – Daddy’s dream. Daddy loved baseball and we would live out his dream for him, especially because Mother knew that was something he had wanted to do. We had been to many Braves game when the Braves weren’t cool or winning. We’d gone to an Astros game with him. This is how we decided that was what we would do. We would live out Daddy’s dreams that he didn’t get to do.”

The plan, crafted by Amelia and Renita, was simple: to give their mother the gift of undivided attention during their trips. “No husband, no kids, just mother and her girls. And so, we set off for Tampa Bay,” Amelia said.

Each year, Amelia and Renita would carefully plan these trips with their mother. Weekends were filled with long days of travel, laughter, shopping and Evelyn’s favorite pastime –  beating her daughters in cards. When they weren’t at the ballpark, they made the most of their time by exploring each city, soaking in the unique culture and scenery that every destination had to offer.

Stadiums were selected strategically. For instance, when both New York teams, the Yankees and Mets, were at home, the trio would plan their trips to catch both games on the same weekend. If they knew a stadium was in its final season, it became a priority to visit before it closed.

Evelyn’s list of dates and the order of the stadiums they were able to visit each year (Gauge Day)

In 2023, the realization hit Amelia that they were closer than ever to fulfilling her father’s dream.

“We knew we had four stadiums left at that point,” Amelia shared. “So, we went to Kansas in June and drove to Kansas City for that game. We started talking about the fact that we had four left. Hypothetically, if we could catch three of the four at home, we could finish this by the end of the year.”

Amelia continued, “In August, we flew from Nashville to Arizona and went to the Cardinals game that night. Got up and flew to Los Angeles the next morning and went to an Angels game. Flew to Seattle the next morning and went to a Mariners game. Flew home the next day. Three stadiums in four days and we were down to one: Detroit.”

Detroit held the final stadium on the list, and it was intentionally saved for last. After encountering a few sketchy scenarios in previous cities, safety had become a concern for their mother, and the idea of visiting Detroit brought some apprehension.

“But then we went. It was a beautiful stadium. The city has been working to revamp and rebrand themselves. The riverwalk was named the best riverwalk for the past three years. It was a beautiful place. And by waiting, Detroit had recreated itself and we were safe,” Amelia explained.

When asked about her favorite stadium, Evelyn shared, “Detroit. The last one. It was the newest and the most unique. It was a beautiful stadium.”

Amelia Stevens-Sutter Moyer, Evelyn Stevens and Renita Stevens Rigney in their final stadium, accomplishing the dream created by Bud 30 years ago (Amelia Stevens-Sutter Moyer)

At 89 years old, Evelyn Stevens achieved something many only dream of. With her two daughters by her side, she found herself passing the finish line of her late husband’s dream. Her daughters, motivated not to let her “grow old,” have become her inspiration to keep on achieving and doing.

As Evelyn reflected on the adventure, she shared her favorite part of the experience, “The main thing has been the time we spent together.”

For Evelyn Stevens, this journey was more than a series of stadiums; it was about creating moments with the people who mean the most, proving that the best part of any adventure is the company and the memories that are made along the way. For Evelyn, Bud’s dream from 1994 had come to fruition through the love and efforts of their daughters, a testament to the family they built together.

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