By Brian Hoffman
It seems like baseball, more than any other sport, is a family tradition.
Major League Baseball held its annual player draft just prior to the all-star game and you didn’t need a scorecard to keep track. A genealogy website would likely be more helpful.
Jackson Holliday, a shortstop from Oklahoma, was the first pick overall by the Orioles. That sure makes me feel old, as it seems like just yesterday his dad, Matt, was playing for the Salem Avalanche in the Carolina League.
Druw Jones, son of former Atlanta Braves star Andruw Jones, went next to the Diamondbacks. I had Andruw on my fantasy team when he was a rookie.
Two other sons of former big leaguers went in the first round, Carl Crawford’s son Justin to the Phillies at 17th and Lou Collier’s son Cam to the Reds, who went 19th overall. Those are some pretty impressive bloodlines.
As I see it, this happens more in baseball than any other sport. Oh sure, you have the Mannings with Archie, Peyton, Eli and now Arch, but you have to search to find many others. Same thing in basketball, although we’re keeping an eye on “Bronny.”
In baseball, however, it’s a family affair. And, more often than not, the son is as good, or better, than the dad.
For example, Fernando Tatis was a decent Major League player but Tatis, Jr. is a rising star. Ken Griffey was solid for the Reds and his son, Griffey, Jr., is a Hall of Famer. Vladimir Guerrero was a really good player and his son, Vlad, Jr., may not be better but he could end up being just as good. Barry Bonds would have been better than Barry even without the ‘roids.
Other current sons of former big leaguers currently in the league include Bo Bichette, son of Dante, Cavan Biggio, son of Craig, Cam Bedrosian, son of Steve, and some who had lesser known big league fathers like Cody Bellinger(Clay), Michael Brantley(Mickey), Robinson Cano(Jose), and C.J. and Kevin Cron(Chris).
Then you have third generation families, like Ray Boone, son Bob and grandsons Brett and Aaron. I had a baseball card of Gus Bell when I was a kid, and his son Buddy and grandsons David and Mike also became big leaguers. Sandy Alomar had two kids, Roberto and Sandy, Jr., who were both better players than dad. Sammy Hairston had sons Jerry and Johnny and Jerry then had sons Jerry, Jr. and Scott, all who played in the big leagues. None of them were big stars, like Barry Bonds or Griffey, Jr., but just to make a big league roster is a great accomplishment.
According to the “Baseball Almanac,” there have been 253 father-son combinations who have made a Major League roster in the history of baseball, and a good majority have been in the past 30 years. You won’t find that in any other sport, with football next at 129 father-son combinations. The NBA is currently at 90 all time.
Why is that? I have a theory.
Baseball season lasts from late winter into autumn, counting spring training and the World Series. That’s a lot of time, and parents don’t want to stay away from their kids so they bring them to the ballpark. And, they can do so because the kids don’t go to school in the summer. I know many of these sons of big leaguers were bat boys for their dad’s team when they were kids, and if you’re around the ballpark and playing catch with dad’s friends it’s bound to make you better.
You don’t see that in football. Basketball could be like that (see Dell, Stephen and Seth Curry), but it’s so darned hard to make an NBA team with half as many players at the top level in a sport where you need to be physically gifted. It’s not like baseball, where John Kruk once replied to a fan who called him a disgrace for an athlete, “I’m not an athlete, I’m a baseball player.”
Certainly it’s not easy to become a big league baseball player, but if you have some ability and a father with a history there’s a good chance you’ll at least get a look.
Does anyone remember the month that Mickey Mantle, Jr. spent in the Carolina League? That’s a good story for another day.
CITY-COUNTY SWIM MEET IS THIS WEEK
The Roanoke Valley Aquatic Association will conduct their annual Duane Whitenack City-County Swim meet this weekend at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center. The Stonegate Swim Club and the Hidden Valley Country Club will both have teams in the pool.
The meet will be held on Friday and Saturday, July 29 and 30, with 10 and under swimmers in the morning and 11 and over in the afternoon. Friday strokes include the Backstroke, Short Freesylte, Individual Medley and Freestyle Relays. Saturday will have the Butterfly, Breaststroke, Long Freestyle and wrap up with the Medley Relays.
There will be 13 area swim teams competing.
OBENCHAIN WAS A THROWER
Most folks in Salem knew Everette “EB” Obenshain, Jr. as “Sheriff,” but those who have followed track & field for a long time in Salem also remember him as an outstanding shot putter. Obenshain, who served the city as sheriff for 30 years, died on July 14 at 82 years of age.
“Obie” was a member of the Andrew Lewis High School track program coached by legendary Ray Bussard in the late 1950s. Lewis won the state 1A Indoor Track and Field championship at the VMI Field House in 1958 and Obenshain was a key member of that team.
“At the 1958 state meet the Andrew Lewis throwers ‘wowed’ the crowd with three throwers at or over 50 feet,” said Salem native and track historian Richard Browder, who competed for Lewis and coached at Lewis, Salem High and Roanoke College for many years. “Very impressive, especially in the close confines of the small VMI arena.”
Obenshain joined Neil Churchill and Bill Wade as throwers on that championship team. Lewis won the indoor state championship in 1958 and 1959 at VMI and the outdoor state championship in 1959 at William and Mary in Williamsburg.
Thanks to Richard Browder for this information. Sometimes great accomplishments get lost as the years go by.
