Father's Day: Reds' diligent pop

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06/11/2002 8:03 pm ET
Father's Day: Reds' diligent pop
By Chris Haft / MLB.com

Having pitched more innings than any reliever since 1997, Cincinnati Reds right-hander Scott Sullivan is among the hardest-working players in the Major Leagues. Sullivan's equally diligent when he helps his wife, Leann, tend to their 3-year-old son, William Seth, and their 2-year-old daughter, Lauren Scott. Sullivan recently discussed parenthood with Chris Haft, who covers the Reds for MLB.com.
MLB.com: What changed the most when you became a father?

Scott Sullivan: I was probably overwhelmed on several issues. One was the responsibility. I think it's a great joy and privilege to be a father, but also a great responsibility to know that little life is in your hands. It also puts things in perspective in a lot of ways. I didn't know the amount of love I could possess for a person until I had children.

MLB.com: How has baseball played a role?

Sullivan: There's a lot of positives and negatives that come along with any job, especially this one. I've missed out on a lot of things while being on the road -- first steps, things like that. But it's also important to be able to provide for my family financially and provide for their education. The offseason allows me a lot of family time to catch up.

MLB.com: As a professional ballplayer, but also a parent, what motivates you?

Sullivan: You want to have a sense of accomplishment for your family. You want to make your family proud and do things right. Your biggest responsibility is setting a good example for your family.

MLB.com: Compare your childhood and upbringing to that of your children.

Sullivan: The love I show for my children is the same love I got from my parents. The discipline I try to give to my children is the same discipline that I got. And some of the same family values that I was taught as a child carry over into my family. We make a habit of turning the TV off during dinner, sitting at the table, holding hands and then we pray and bless the food. At night, we always tuck the kids in and say a prayer. And if you're consistent with your kids, it's amazing. Sometimes they'll be running everywhere, we'll throw Seth into bed and tuck him in and give him a kiss, and he'll get up and say, "Dad, we didn't say our prayers." That's pretty neat.

MLB.com: Do your kids play baseball or other sports?

Sullivan: Seth cares nothing about ball, at all. I'll say, "Come on, Seth, catch this." "No, sir." "Come on, Lauren, kick this." "No, sir." They want to go out and play with rocks and dig up bugs and worms and stuff like that.

MLB.com: Would you want your son to be a ballplayer or for either of your kids to be professional athletes?

Sullivan: I'm going to be supportive and be there for any decision they make. Right now, my son's (nearly) four and my daughter's two, so we're just trying to get our daughter potty-trained. That's what we're working on. We're not concerned with anything but the near future.

Chris Haft covers the Reds for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Reds reliever Scott Sullivan delivers during Spring Training. He called fatherhood "a joy and privilege." (Mark Duncan/AP)

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06/13/2002 9:07 pm ET
Boone and Bell: Three-generation links
By Chris Haft / MLB.com

Buddy Bell and Bob Boone didn't have to work hard at being the "link" in baseball's three-generation families.
Like anything else that thrives on the diamond or off, successfully playing a dual role as fathers and sons came naturally to them.

Bell, the son of four-time All-Star outfielder Gus Bell, didn't force bats and gloves upon his sons as he raised current professionals David (San Francisco), Mike (Triple-A Colorado Springs) and Rick (Triple-A Las Vegas).

"Anything they could get their hands on that involved a ball, they would do, and baseball was the thing they loved to do the most," said Bell, a five-time All-Star third baseman who played 18 years in the Major Leagues. "I probably was more like my dad in that area. My dad never really pushed me, but he encouraged me a lot to do the best I possibly could. But it wasn't like, 'Hey, you need to go out there and throw and hit and do this and do that.' My sons more or less fell into that on their own. They work very, very hard on this game, so that hasn't changed much."

Nor did Boone, the son of All-Star infielder Ray Boone, have to coax his sons into playing ball. "You couldn't ignore it," said Boone, who manages his son, Aaron, with the Cincinnati Reds when he's not monitoring Bret (Seattle) and Matt (Single-A Lakeland). "My life revolved around the baseball team, my whole childhood. I was there from the time I was born." The same thing happened with Boone's sons once he embarked on his 19-year career as a Major League catcher -- particularly Bret and Aaron, who were allowed to shag flies before games at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium.

The entire nature-vs.-nurture question is one that scientists and psychologists debate endlessly. Which has a greater influence on a person's development? In Boone's opinion, there's no argument when it comes to baseball families. Both factors weigh heavily.

"You learn when you're three and four years old how to do it correctly. It's a huge advantage," Boone said. "I think there are a lot of environmental factors that allowed (his sons) to be good, but it's obviously hereditary. I think you could take any professional golfer and look at his kids -- they might not be professional caliber, but I guarantee you they can beat the tar out of me right now. A lot of that has to do with going to the driving range with your dad, he shows you how to start hitting and you get the feel of a swing. I think that carries over into making you good. And then the talent you have -- Jack Nicklaus' kids aren't as good as him, but they have (PGA) Tour cards and have played in some tournaments, which makes them way better than the average person."

Some of baseball's biggest names have spanned generations -- Bonds (Bobby and Barry), Griffey (Ken Sr. and Jr.) and Berra (Yogi and Dale), along with multiple Alous, Alomars and others. And the Hairstons (Sam, Jerry Sr. and Jerry Jr.) stand tall alongside the Bells and Boones as the Majors' sole three-generation families.

"There are a lot of families that have been in this baseball act. And I don't think it's coincidental," Bob Boone said. "It has a lot to do with the environment and learning skills very early in your formative years."

Perhaps it was no surprise that Boone and Bell, steeped in baseball as much as they were, became managers. Boone is in his fifth Major League managerial season, having also steered Kansas City from 1995-97. Bell piloted Detroit from 1996-98 and began his third year with Colorado this season before the Rockies fired him on April 26. He's now a consultant to baseball operations with the Cleveland Indians.

Without realizing it, Bell may have received some subtle preparation for managing from his father.

"My dad always pretty much got (annoyed) whenever I had an opinion on somebody else's way of life," said Bell, who also has two daughters, Kristi and Traci. "That's just life in general. But in baseball, that's a good way to (approach) it, too, because some people do things different ways."

The Boone family tree sprouted a few extra feet last July when Bret started the All-Star Game at second base. This made the Boones the first three-generation family of All-Star starters. Still, as Bob Boone said, "We don't walk out on the street with a badge on" because of this. Remember, baseball just happens to be this family's stock in trade.

Searching for a comparison, Bob Boone said, "It seems to me that if you ask Michael Jordan about scoring 40 points in a game, something that very few other human beings can possibly do ... I can't understand how that happens. But, for him, it's very natural."

For Buddy Bell, baseball-related family pride ultimately revolves around the patriarch who started it all: Gus, a top power hitter and a devoted father of seven.

"We all have such a passion for baseball, just because of the game itself and the people we've met who've meant so much to all of us," Bell said. "I do feel proud. But at the same time, I think the most important thing is that my father is remembered and that their grandfather is remembered. If Dad were to play in this era, he would have gotten more recognition -- not that it mattered to him, but it would have mattered to us."

Chris Haft covers the Reds for MLB.com and can be reached at haftkeem@aol.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Reds manager Bob Boon chats with son/ third baseman Aaron during Spring Training. (Mark Duncan/AP)