Mookie Wilson bringing BBQ to Hall of Fame's East-West Classic

On the baseball field, Mookie Wilson was known for his speed. The former Mets center fielder best remembered for hitting the little roller up along first that got through Bill Buckner has said that he could’ve beaten Boston’s first baseman to the bag had he fielded the ball cleanly. And it may just have been Wilson’s speed that caused Buckner to rush and miss the ground ball that ended Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

But when it comes to barbecue, slow is the way to go. Wilson and his four brothers – along with several other family members – have been serving up ribs, brisket, chicken, sausage and more for almost two years now, and they’ll bring their Legacy Catering to Cooperstown, N.Y., over Memorial Day weekend for the Hall of Fame’s East-West Classic at Doubleday Field on May 25.

But lest anyone think that Wilson just lends his name and No. 1 to the business, the best place to find him will be tending to the smokers and grills, utensils in hand.

“I love doing it, always. I've always cooked,” Wilson said in a recent interview. “I just enjoy doing it. I'm a hands-on person. It's just a lot of fun. We enjoy just the experience of it. The barbecues are always fun to do. It's time consuming, like the brisket takes like 13 hours to do.”

While the Wilson brothers have long found pleasure in cooking together – a trait they inherited from their mother – the idea to make it a business only developed about two years ago. In that short time, they’ve towed their setup to Mets Fantasy Camp in Port St. Lucie, Fla.; to Minor League ballparks in Norfolk, Va.; Syracuse and Hudson Valley, N.Y.; and, of course, to Citi Field.

“We’ve been doing it for ages, but we’ve been doing it for free,” Wilson said with a laugh. “We would do it on our annual fishing trip, the brothers. As we were fishing, we just sat down and said, ‘We need to do something.’ Most of us are getting closer to retirement age and need to have something to do, and something that we all enjoyed. And then we came up with the cooking thing.”

Legacy Catering includes not just the Wilson brothers, but also their sisters, wives, daughters and nephews. It’s a completely mobile endeavor, and they bring along everything that they need for an afternoon of barbecuing – power, hot water, refrigeration – so that they can prepare everything on site.

“We cook and serve,” Wilson said, “we don't cook and store for a rainy day.”

Wilson will likely have to put aside his apron for pregame festivities at the East-West Classic, because he’ll also be an honorary team member, along with MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds. Hall of Famers Harold Baines, Ken Griffey Jr., Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Fred McGriff, Eddie Murray, Jim Rice, Lee Smith, Ozzie Smith and Dave Winfield will serve as managers and coaches.

The teams on the field will be made up of former big leaguers, beginning with captains CC Sabathia and Chris Young. They’ll be joined by Josh Barfield, Tim Beckham, José Contreras, Ian Desmond, Prince Fielder, Dexter Fowler, Curtis Granderson, Tony Gwynn Jr., Jerry Hairston, Scott Hairston, LaTroy Hawkins, Ryan Howard, Edwin Jackson, Jeremy Jeffress, Adam Jones, Howie Kendrick, Russell Martin, Darrell Miller, Melvin Mora, David Price, Tony Sipp, Dee Strange-Gordon, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton and Dontrelle Willis.

The other big event for the weekend is the opening of the Hall’s new exhibit, “The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball,” an updated look at Black baseball history, the Negro Leagues and the legacy of Jackie Robinson.

• How the Negro Leagues' East-West All-Star Game started

“The players who made the original East-West Classic such an incredible event paved the way for those of us who followed to the Major Leagues, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate this legacy in Cooperstown,” Wilson said in a statement put out by the Hall of Fame. “Plus, what’s Memorial Day weekend without a little barbecue, right?”

Legacy Catering will be joined by local favorites Gilligan’s Ice Cream, Sarchioto’s Concessions, Ty’s Taco-ria and Cooperstown’s own Brewery Ommegang. Fans will also enjoy music, giveaways, a commemorative program and, on the mic for the afternoon, Jeremiah Paprocki, the Cubs’ first Black public address announcer.

But for Wilson, the main event will be on the trailer alongside his brothers and catering – literally – to the fans.

“You have to experience it,” he said. “We’re dedicated to giving people an experience of not just barbecue, but the whole experience, you know. We've been places that people just sit back and watch us cook, and that's the fun part.”