GaryMrMets
06-16-2002, 01:40 PM
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/la/news/la_news.jsp?ymd=20020613&content_id=51817&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp
06/13/2002 01:04 am ET
Father's Day: Tracy, Tracy, and Son
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
Jim Tracy is managing a Dodgers team vying for first place. But the long road to this point required persistence, dedication and a disciplined work ethic inspired by the example his father set. Tracy talked about his father and Father's Day with MLB.com.
MLB.com: Tell us about your father.
Jim Tracy: He held two jobs to keep three boys in parochial school at an obviously expensive price tag. He was an accountant for Moler Safe Company during the day, he'd come home for dinner, then he'd go out for three hours each night as the City of Fairfield, Ohio, income tax administrator. And in 15 years I never saw my father miss a day of work. Never, in 15 years. I've patterned my work ethic after him. I've told him so. I love my father, you have no idea. Talking about my father ... well, that's a tremendous subject for me.
MLB.com: Let's talk about that work ethic. You've been called, shall we say, detail-oriented.
Tracy: I'm anal to the point of leaving no stone unturned as far as preparation, and that started at a young age. My father had a list of chores on the kitchen table, in handwriting that is just beautiful. One of the chores was raking the leaves, and in Ohio in the fall, we had some leaves. I wanted to please him so much, because I loved and respected him so much, that on this one day I had the yard looking as smooth as a pool table and was waiting under the tree for any leaves to fall when he drove up and he got out of the car. I was so proud and waiting to be mildly lauded when he walked around to the corner of the yard, reached behind the faucet, pulled out three soaked, brown leaves and said, "What about these?" With attention to detail like that, he got my attention at an early age. Don't leave anything out. If it's possible to be perfect, don't fail knowing that you could have done better -- be it school, work, baseball or anything."
MLB.com: Like most people in the game, you won't be with your father on Father's Day. When was the last Father's Day you spent with him?
Tracy: Probably the summer of my freshman year in college, 1975. You often don't even spend it with your family. Probably not since 1987, when I started on the management side. You'd even trade a Father's Day for an occasional opportunity to see your boys play baseball.
MLB.com: Your father played in the Philadelphia and New York Giants organization. You've had a playing, management and managerial career. And now your oldest son, Brian, has been drafted. What advice did your father give you about baseball that you've tried to pass along to your sons?
Tracy: That, as long as you play, you always give 100 percent-plus, every time your name is called. That you always conduct yourself in a totally professional manner. Don't fail knowing you did something halfway.
MLB.com: You've talked about how proud you are that your son was drafted. How did your father react to having a grandson drafted?
Tracy: I talked to my mom about that. My father was sitting in his chair when he got the call last week. He had tears in the corners of his eyes.
Ken Gurnick covers the Dodgers for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/images/2002/06/13/UlPgAR3o.jpg
Jim Tracy and Adrian Beltre talk a little baseball during Spring Training. (M. Spencer Green)
06/13/2002 01:04 am ET
Father's Day: Tracy, Tracy, and Son
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
Jim Tracy is managing a Dodgers team vying for first place. But the long road to this point required persistence, dedication and a disciplined work ethic inspired by the example his father set. Tracy talked about his father and Father's Day with MLB.com.
MLB.com: Tell us about your father.
Jim Tracy: He held two jobs to keep three boys in parochial school at an obviously expensive price tag. He was an accountant for Moler Safe Company during the day, he'd come home for dinner, then he'd go out for three hours each night as the City of Fairfield, Ohio, income tax administrator. And in 15 years I never saw my father miss a day of work. Never, in 15 years. I've patterned my work ethic after him. I've told him so. I love my father, you have no idea. Talking about my father ... well, that's a tremendous subject for me.
MLB.com: Let's talk about that work ethic. You've been called, shall we say, detail-oriented.
Tracy: I'm anal to the point of leaving no stone unturned as far as preparation, and that started at a young age. My father had a list of chores on the kitchen table, in handwriting that is just beautiful. One of the chores was raking the leaves, and in Ohio in the fall, we had some leaves. I wanted to please him so much, because I loved and respected him so much, that on this one day I had the yard looking as smooth as a pool table and was waiting under the tree for any leaves to fall when he drove up and he got out of the car. I was so proud and waiting to be mildly lauded when he walked around to the corner of the yard, reached behind the faucet, pulled out three soaked, brown leaves and said, "What about these?" With attention to detail like that, he got my attention at an early age. Don't leave anything out. If it's possible to be perfect, don't fail knowing that you could have done better -- be it school, work, baseball or anything."
MLB.com: Like most people in the game, you won't be with your father on Father's Day. When was the last Father's Day you spent with him?
Tracy: Probably the summer of my freshman year in college, 1975. You often don't even spend it with your family. Probably not since 1987, when I started on the management side. You'd even trade a Father's Day for an occasional opportunity to see your boys play baseball.
MLB.com: Your father played in the Philadelphia and New York Giants organization. You've had a playing, management and managerial career. And now your oldest son, Brian, has been drafted. What advice did your father give you about baseball that you've tried to pass along to your sons?
Tracy: That, as long as you play, you always give 100 percent-plus, every time your name is called. That you always conduct yourself in a totally professional manner. Don't fail knowing you did something halfway.
MLB.com: You've talked about how proud you are that your son was drafted. How did your father react to having a grandson drafted?
Tracy: I talked to my mom about that. My father was sitting in his chair when he got the call last week. He had tears in the corners of his eyes.
Ken Gurnick covers the Dodgers for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/images/2002/06/13/UlPgAR3o.jpg
Jim Tracy and Adrian Beltre talk a little baseball during Spring Training. (M. Spencer Green)