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Baseball Fathers and Sons Photo Gallery
Click on any image below to see photos in full size and to start Photo Gallery:
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- Luis Tiant, Jr. with father, Cuban baseball star, Luis Tiant, Sr.
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- Bob Feller with mother Lena and father William
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- Billy Herman and son, Billy, Jr. from the Brace collection
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- “Sad Sam” Jones and his sons
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- Roberto Clemente with wife and sons and his father, Don Melchor Clemente
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- Sandy Koufax with his mother and father
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- Pete Reiser with his father and uncle at Wrigley Field from the Brace collection
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- A young Hank Aaron with his mother and father, Herbert Aaron
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- Jackie Robinson with wife Rachel and son, Jackie, Jr.
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- Cat Mays, the father of Willie Mays sitting with Willie’s son, Michael
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- Ernie Banks with his sons and parents, 1960
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- Hack Wilson with son Bobby
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- Yogi Berra with father and mother
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- Mickey Mantle with wife Merle and sons.
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- Infant Mickey Mantle sits on the lap of father Mutt Mantle
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- Felipe and Moises Alou
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- Ken Griffey, Sr. and Ken Griffey, Jr.
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- Tony Gwynn and son, Tony, Jr.
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- Cal Ripken , Sr. with sons Billy and Cal, Jr.
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- Stan Musial with his father Lucas
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- Albert Dean with sons Dizzy and Paul
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- Paul and Lloyd Waner with mother and father
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- Lou Gehrig with mother Christina, wife Eleanor, and father, Heinrich
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- Ty Cobb with wife Charlie, daughter Shirley, baby Hershel, and son Ty, Jr.
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- Another photo of Babe Ruth’s father figure, Brother Mathias
Happy Fathers Day from Baseball History Comes Alive!
“He was the greatest man I’ve ever known,” -Babe Ruth, speaking of his father-figure and mentor, Brother Mathias
Bill Gutman and I, the “staff” here at Baseball History Comes Alive!, want to wish all the fathers out there a very Happy Fathers Day!
What American institution has ever been better at bonding together grandfathers, fathers and sons, generation after generation, than the great game of baseball? And so what better way to celebrate Fathers’ Day than with a photo tribute to some of baseball’s more notable fathers and sons?
On Fathers Day a couple years ago, I posted the classic photo of the Babe tending bar at his father’s saloon. One of the readers took me to task saying: “That photo is inappropriate for Father’s Day. The only real father figure in the Babe’s life was Brother Mathias.” Plus, the pic was taken during the 1915 Christmas season at old-man Ruth’s Baltimore gin mill, not really an appropriate setting for a mid-summer holiday.
Babe Ruth helping out at his father’s saloon, 1915
I had to admit the guy raised a good point. So to set the record straight, this year I’m posting a nice photo of the Babe with Brother Mathias, Babe’s true father-figure.
I love reading about Brother Mathias. So here’s a few words about him from Robert Creamer’s great book, “Babe – The Legend Comes to Life”:
He was a huge man, nearly six feet six inches tall and probably over 250 pounds. He had a calm, expressionless face that could turn icy cold when he was displeased. The boys at St. Mary’s were scared of Brother Mathias, whom they referred to as the Boss, but he had qualities that endeared him to them. He was immensely strong, stronger than any of them, and that impressed them. He never ranted or shouted. He was always calm, always consistent, always fair – and they appreciated that. If they misbehaved or broke a rule, they were punished. ‘He gave everyone a fair break but, brother, if you ever crossed him, you sure were in trouble.’
There is no testimony that Mathias administered corporal punishment. Usually a boy was deprived of certain meager privileges allowed at the school, like freedom during the recreation periods or the right to play ball. When the punishment was over, the incident was over too as far as Brother Mathias was concerned; and the boys looked upon this as eminently just.
Brother Mathias could hit tremendous fungos, long towering fly balls, and he would hit them swinging the bat with one hand. Ruth said: ‘I think I was born as a hitter the first day I ever saw him hit a baseball.’ In later years, Mathias would work for hours with George, hitting the boy grounder after grounder. ‘I could hit the first time I picked up a bat,’ Ruth also said, ‘but Brother Mathias made me a fielder.’
Brother Mathias was quite a man…and we’re happy to recognize him for all he did for a young troublemaker at St. Mary’s Orphanage who lacked discipline by the name of George Herman Ruth. And also for all the hundreds of other boys he influenced over the years at St. Mary’s. For many, he was the only father-figure they ever had.
…And with that, let me wish a very Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there! Hope you enjoy your day!
By the way, if you’d like to share some reminiscences about your dad or your grandfather and baseball, please do so in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you!
Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: All from Google search
Information: Excerpts edited from Babe, by Robert Creamer.
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Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: All from Google search
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Sometimes it’s overlooked that Ruth could not only slug home runs and pitch but that he was also a fine fielder and base runner.
Very nice, Gary.
That Bill! Too modest to mention that Germany was actually his old man. And on Father’s Day to boot.
Haha! Maybe that’s where he gets his sense of humor!
In a previous life, Keedy was the ump behind the plate in a big game and called me out on a pitch two feet outside. I chased him with my bat but he suddenly disappeared. Here he is again!
Ironically, Germany Schaefer was born on Feb. 4, I was born on Feb. 3 (a few years later). My grandfather, Frank Harry Schaefer also died of TB and was treated for years at Saranac Lake, NY. We’re all connected.
Had no idea Schaefer was the precursor to the Clown Prince of Baseball, Al Schacht. Hilarious, coming out in galoshes and an umbrella in the rain.
Dr. Schaefer’s newest in an onerous string of unsolicited musings confirms what we have long known: “The child is father of the man.” Germany lives on, in other words, in the accounts, actions and accomplishments of the estimable Wilhelm Schaefer — such as they are. Herman the German is a kid again, and with him, perhaps, is William Wordsworth. Go figure.
By the bye, that was no bat B.S. was chasing me with in our prior incarnations. He was swinging a parasol actually, which tells us exactly how and why he never quite became the slugger of his dreams.
Our hearts leap up, thanks to you Bill.
/s/ Michael Patkin, Father/Son of Max
Onerous, eh? Why I oughta…
Me thinks the redoubtable Keedy is still smarting from my 1951 essay.
It is true. I was perhaps a bit misguided in the prior incarnation. But you can be assured if I catch up to you this time around, I will not be swinging a parasol. I will be wielding a 34 ounce Rawlings/Adirondack. And I can generate considerable bat speed.
A Wordsworth to the wise, my good doctor.
Germany
HI-LARious! Unless poor Gary’s Baseball Blog was meant to attract HI-jinks from an uninvited pair of HI-falutin’ HI-yenas (a doubtful HI-pothesis), the HI-perbolic Drs. HI & Tight may shortly and permanently be excommunicated therefrom, and understandably so.. This could be an apt ending for superannuated daydreamers whose beloved boyhood ball-clubs left for HI-er ground more than sixty (60) years ago. Ouch.
HI-Fives, over and out.
/s/ HI-Nee Manush
Hey Michael,
“Tillie” Shafer (second cousin, once removed, who could never correctly spell the family name) is looking for you.
He got word through the cosmos there’s a superannuated blog for codgers, when Gary throws you out.
I’m only here to help.
Bill
Just getting back on track for a moment on Gary’s excellent Father’s Day offering. Those pictures are worth a second look–infant Mickey Mantle on the knee of his dad, Ernie Banks with sons and parents, a young Yogi Berra with his mom and dad–and the towering Brother Mathias, so inspirational for many and especially The Babe.
That must have been some sight–Mathias belting those one-handed fungos!
Thank Bill! Hey- I might need a translator to help me understand the lingo between you two guys!
Yes, we do get carried away–Keedy is leading me astray, but I’m fighting my way back!