Editing MC Hammer (section)

== Early life and education ==
Stanley Kirk Burrell was born in [[Oakland, California]], on March 30, 1962.<ref name="People">{{cite web|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/mc-hammer|title=MC Hammer|publisher=[[Encyclopedia.com]]|access-date=November 29, 2019}}</ref> His father was a professional poker player and gambling casino manager (at [[List of casinos in California|Oaks Card Club]]'s [[cardroom]]), as well as a warehouse supervisor.<ref name="latimes1991">{{cite news|first=Andrew|last=Beyer |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-06-sp-96-story.html |title=Hammer Time : When Big Money Comes Down From His Son, Lewis Burrell's Dream Sees the Light of Day |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 20, 2007 |access-date=December 17, 2012}}</ref> Hammer grew up poor with his mother (a secretary) and eight siblings in a small apartment in [[East Oakland]]. He recalled that six children were crammed into a three-bedroom housing project apartment. The Burrells would frequent thoroughbred horse races, eventually becoming [[#Additional business ventures|owners and winners]] of several [[graded stakes race|graded stakes]].<ref name="latimes1991"/>

In the [[Oakland Coliseum]] parking lot, the young Burrell would sell stray baseballs and dance accompanied by a [[beatboxer]]. [[Oakland Athletics]] team owner [[Charlie Finley]] saw the 11-year-old doing splits and hired Burrell as a clubhouse assistant and [[batboy]] as a result of his energy and flair.<ref name="Ebony"/><ref name="answers1">{{cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/mc-hammer-1 |title=MC Hammer: Biography from |website=Answers.com |access-date=October 22, 2010}}</ref> Burrell served as a "batboy" with the team from 1973 to 1980. In 2010, Hammer discussed his lifelong involvement with athletes on [[ESPN]]'s ''[[First Take (talk show)|First Take]]'' as well as explained that his brother Louis Burrell Jr. (who would later become Hammer's business manager)<ref name="google1">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v9MDAAAAMBAJ&q=Louis+Burrell+mc+hammer+brother&pg=PA118 |title=Ebony – Google Books |date= October 1990  |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company |access-date=May 10, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n6_v49/ai_14969852/ | work=Ebony | first=Lynn | last=Norment | title=Hammer's hilltop mansion | year=1994}}</ref> was actually the batboy while his job was to take calls and do "play-by-plays" for the A's absentee owner during every summer game.<ref name="' + message@fromScreenName + ' says">{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5512532 |title=Hammer Time On First Take – ESPN Video  |work=ESPN |date=August 30, 2010 |access-date=May 10, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226131154/http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5512532 |archive-date=February 26, 2011 }}</ref> The colorful Finley, who lived in Chicago,<ref name="Ebony"/> used the child as his "eyes and ears".<ref name="rebels">{{cite video|title = Rebels of Oakland: The A's, the [[Oakland Raiders|Raiders]], the '70s.|publisher = [[HBO]]|date = December 10, 2003}}</ref> [[Reggie Jackson]], in describing Burrell's role for Finley, took credit for his nickname:

{{blockquote|Hell, our chief executive, the guy that ran our team, uh, that communicated [with] Charlie Finley, the top man there, was a 13-year-old kid. I nicknamed him "Hammer" because he looked like [[Hank Aaron]] [whose nickname was "The Hammer"].<ref name="rebels"/>}}

Team players, including [[Milwaukee Brewers]] second baseman [[Pedro García (baseball)|Pedro García]], also dubbed Burrell "Little Hammer" due to his resemblance to Aaron.<ref name="Ebony"/><ref name="latimes1991"/> Ron Bergman, at the time an ''[[Oakland Tribune]]'' writer who covered the A's, recalled that: He was an informant in the clubhouse, an informant for Charlie, and he got the nickname "Pipeline".<ref name="rebels"/> According to Hammer:
{{blockquote|Charlie said, "I'm getting you a new hat. I don't want you to have a hat that says "A's" on it. I'm getting you a hat that says 'Ex VP,' that says 'Executive Vice President.' You're running the joint around here." ... Every time I come down to the clubhouse, you know, [[Rollie Fingers|Rollie]] would yell out "Oh, everybody be quiet! Here comes Pipeline!"<ref name="rebels"/>}}

Burrell acquired the nickname "MC" for being a "[[master of ceremonies]]", which he used when he began performing at various clubs while on the road with the A's, and eventually in the military.<ref name="Ebony"/> Hammer, who played second base in high school, dreamed of being a professional baseball player but did not make the final cut at a [[San Francisco Giants]] tryout.<ref name="Ebony"/> However, he has been a participant and a player in the annual [[Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game]], wearing an A's cap to represent Oakland ([[American League]]).<ref>{{cite web|author=Steph |url=http://www.celebritymound.com/2008-mlb-all-star-week-taco-bell-all-star-legends-celebrity-softball-game/ |title=2008 MLB All-Star Week Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game |publisher=Celebrity Mound |date=July 12, 2008 |access-date=October 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708131945/http://www.celebritymound.com/2008-mlb-all-star-week-taco-bell-all-star-legends-celebrity-softball-game/ |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Adam|last=McCalvy|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100711&content_id=12206214&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |title=Legends, celebrities hammer home fun  |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=July 22, 2010 |access-date=October 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Palmer |first=Tamara |url=https://www.sfgate.com/music/article/MC-Hammer-oakland-as-prince-reunion-concert-14862365.php |title=MC Hammer reflects on his days as an A's ball boy, Prince and Oakland's musical legacy |publisher=Sfgate.com |date=2019-11-25 |accessdate=2022-05-08}}</ref>

Burrell went on to graduate from [[McClymonds High School]] in Oakland in 1980 and took undergraduate classes in communications. Discouraged by his studies at a local college and failing to win a place in a professional baseball organization,<ref name="Ebony"/> Burrell joined the [[United States Navy]].<ref name="Ebony"/> He served with PATRON (Patrol Squadron) FOUR SEVEN ([[VP-47]]) of [[NAS Moffett Field]] in [[Mountain View, California]], as a [[petty officer third class]] aviation storekeeper (AK3), until his [[honorable discharge]] after three years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.military.com/veterans-day/these-guys-served.html?ESRC=airforce-a.nl |title=MC Hammer in the US Navy |website=Military.com |date=December 20, 2006 |access-date=October 22, 2010}}</ref>