Every kid dreams. Mariah Stackhouse's dream was to play the LPGA from the time she could walk.
In 2003, when Stackhouse was just nine, she entered the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation, a philanthropic trust founded by one of the great home run hitters of all-time Henry “Hammerin’ Hank” Aaron.
The man that slugged 755 home runs during his illustrious career was on hand at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup on Thursday following Stackhouse for several holes on her front nine.
The foundation was derived to help children with limited opportunities pursue their dreams. Stackhouse’s parents – Kenneth and Sharon – learned of the HACDF and immediately sought assistance to help her compete in junior tournaments around the country. She went onto win 97 times as a junior.
Aaron – who was shuttled around Wildfire Golf Course by LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan - caught up with Stackhouse’s group on hole four. After her tee shot, she ran over and gave Aaron a big hug and exchanged some pleasantries. The two have met before, but Thursday was the first time Aaron watched Stackhouse play golf.
“These are the kind of things you dream of and pray for,” Aaron told LPGA.com after watching Stackhouse play. “She has met all expectations. She is the one you look at and say here is an example of what we expect of anyone that has come into the foundation."
Stackhouse made birdie on the fourth with the baseball great watching and then followed that up with a birdie on five.
“It was very special to have him here,” said Stackhouse after posting an even-par, 72. “His foundation did a lot to help me pursue golf as a junior. I am definitely here in part because of his generosity and commitment to youth sports.”
Stackhouse last saw Aaron when she got the chance to run on the field before a Braves game with other kids the foundation supported.
“Now that I’m playing professionally, it’s special because it means they still care,” said Stackhouse. “He still has the investment in the juniors that realize the dreams he helped create. It means a lot.”
While Stackhouse crafts her own path, she takes a lot from what Aaron was able to accomplish.
“One of the reasons he has such a lasting legacy in baseball, at the time he was one of the few black players in the league and he went out and played the game he loved and had success. What he represents is that when you do what you love you find a way to do it no matter what the circumstances are and you be the best you can be.”
Aaron certainly got the best out of his talents and now in Stackhouse’s second-year on Tour, she hopes to do the same.
During his playing days - when wasn't belting long balls - Aaron did spend some time on the links.
“Golf is something I always dreamed of playing,” said the 25-time All-Star. “I tried to play golf many years ago. I tell a lot of people that I got 3,700 hits in 23 years and I did that in nine holes. It was so great to watch Mariah and the other women and I love that the women (on Tour) really give back.”
In this case, it was Hank’s foundation that gave the Stackhouse family a chance to make golf a priority and the dream came true.
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