Stearnes, one of the newest Hall of Famers, retired in 1941. You d have to be at least in your late sixties even to have seen him play. You'd likely be African American, since he played for black teams in segregation times, in front of largely black crowds. You'd probably be from the Midwest, since Stearnes played most of his career there, largely for the Detroit Stars of the Negro National or Western Negro League.
Actuarial logic suggests that there are few people alive who remember Stearnes as a player.
Satchel Paige pitched in the majors. Ray Dandridge played in the high minors. Monte Irvin was young enough to become a National League star. But players just a little older were quickly forgotten. Not till 1976, with the publication of John Holway's interview with Stearnes in Black Sports Magazine, did an image of the slugger begin to emerge for younger fans.