IN MEMORIAM ...Bob Sullivan... (1929 - 2026) (© Photo: Noord-Hollands Archief/ Fotopersbureau De Boer (Poppe de Boer))

Legendary coach, Haarlem Baseball Week-icon, Hall of Famer Bob Sullivan passed away
Nederlands

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (USA) - Bob Sullivan, the founder, owner and legendary longtime Manager of the famous Sullivans baseball-team, has passed away on Tuesday, February 17, at the age of 96 in his hometown Grand Rapids, Michigan. With his team, Bob Sullivan participated fourteen times (six wins) in the Haarlem Baseball Week, which made him an icon of the wellknown Dutch international biennial tournament in Haarlem. In those events, Sullivan was almost always accompanied by his good friend (pitcher and coach) Carl Angelo, another Baseball Week-icon. For his influence, and with that his role in the development of Dutch baseball, Sullivan was part of the second class (1984) that was inducted into the Netherlands Baseball and Softball Hall of Fame. The Sullivans also participated once in the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam.

A Private Memorial Mass for Bob Sullivan will be celebrated at St. Marys' Church- Grand Rapids. A Celebration of his life will be held a at a later date.

Robert James (Bob) Sullivan was born on December 15, 1929 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where 'Sully' became a local legend. Not only in baseball, but also as a successful businessman.

In 1953, Bob Sullivan, who then was only 23 years old, founded his baseball-team, a few years after he had started his company, Sullivan's Carpet & Furniture, in Grand Rapids. Both his baseball-team, which officially was called Grand Rapids Sullivans, and company became household names.

When his company became successful and lucrative, Bob Sullivan not only was very active in baseball, he also sponsored American football and basketball, was involved in boxing and started Little League Baseball in Grand Rapids. Thanks to a donation by Sullivan to the City of Grand Rapids in 2014, children were able to swim for free at the city’s pools during the Summertime. Sullivan also was the owner of the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Grand Rapids, Radisson Hotel Grand Rapids Riverfront and some bars.

Bob Sullivan also worked as a scout for Major League-club Detroit Tigers for 36 years. Over the years, many players of the Sullivans-team went on to play professional baseball. More than seventy of them reached the Major League, including wellknown players as Mike Cubbage, Willie Horton, Kirk Gibson, Al Kaline, Dave Machemer and Dave Rozema. He also had been an adviser to former Tigers General Manager Jim Campbell.

The Sullivans baseball-team won numerous regional and national titles, including four National Baseball Congress championships (1960, 1970, 1983 and 1984). The team played in every NBC World Series tournament from 1955 to 1987. Bob Sullivan was the Manager during all those years. In 1960, the team came-from-behind, having a three-run deficit in the final inning, against Ponchatoula Athletics. Sullivan was named Manager of the Tournament, sharing the title with Matt Batts of Ponchatoula. Sullivan also won the Award in 1970, 1983 and 1984.

...Bob with the Championship-trophy in 1988... (© Ph: NHA/Fotopersbur. De Boer (Poppe de Boer))

The Sullivans-team played its home-games on Valley Field (opened in 1937), which was renamed in honor of Sullivan in 1996. The field was home to the Negro League-team Grand Rapids Black Sox in the 1940s and 1950s.

In 1961, the Netherlands National Baseball Team traveled to Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Michigan. There, the Orange-team played several games against the Sullivans. It was during this trip that contacts with Bob Sullivan were strengthened. Sullivan and his team were invited to come to Haarlem.

Two years later, in 1963, the Sullivans-team first participated in the second edition of the Baseball Week, which was the first to be held in the new Pim Mulier Stadium, and was the first none-European team to come to Haarlem. However, in its first game, the Sullivans won only 3-2 against the Netherlands! Later in the tournament, in its second game against the Orange-squad, the Americans won only 2-1 in a rain-shortened game. The Sullivans won the tournament, but Bob Sullivan knew what to do: bring a stronger team in the future. That's what he did. The team dominated for many years to come and became a fan-favorite!

The Sullivans returned in 1968 and won three 'Weeks' in a row. The team participated in the Haarlem Baseball Week fourteen times (1963, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, and 1998). Twelve of them as Sullivans and twice under the name Little Caesar's (in 1992 and 1994), when the pizza-chain was the team's main sponsor. The Americans won the Haarlem Baseball Week six times (1963, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1988 and 1990).

On Friday-evening, June 27, 1969, during the fifth Haarlem Baseball Week, Bob Sullivan and his team were involved in one of the most memorable moments in the tournament's history. A moment that cannot be excluded in this story. The game between the Netherlands and the Sullivans was scheduled for this seventh day of play. The Pim Mulier Stadium quickly sold out, and several thousand spectators witnessed something that evening, which was labeled 'the scandal' in Dutch newspapers the following day. During the game, a vigorous 'bench-clearing' occurred. In the 1960s, something like this had never been seen on a Dutch baseball field. In the third inning, there was a minor incident when Dutch batter Boudewijn Maat was hit hard by a pitch from pitcher John Ravin. Maat was unable to continue. The Sullivans eventually extended their lead to 9-4. And then the sixth inning began. The American team scored twice in the top of the sixth, but then baserunner Bob Kruger was ruled out at second base by umpire Cor Blitterswijk for interference and breaking up a double play. During his slide, his leg landed too high and near second baseman Johnny Jonkers. Bob Sullivan stormed onto the field, and a heated argument with Blitterswijk ensued. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Jonkers was the lead-off hitter. He was awarded first base after interference by catcher Alex Kanoza. This time, Sullivan, along with his assistant Carl Angelo, argues with plate-umpire Aart Wedemeijer. Sullivan's and Angelo's protests are met with loud booing and shouting from the spectators. Simultaneously, an altercation breaks out at the batter's box between next batter Hans Augustinus and catcher Alex Kanoza. A few Sullivans players get involved, as do a few Dutch players. Hamilton Richardson runs onto the field and shoves a player. After this, all hell breaks loose, as suddenly all the players are on the field. And yes, a few blows are exchanged. Ultimately, no one is ejected. After order is restored, the game resumes. After the sixth inning, Sullivans leads 11-6. After two scoreless innings, Sullivans rallies for ten runs in the ninth inning and wins 21-6.

...Bob Sullivan during the 1988 Haarlem Baseball Week... (© Photo: NHA/Fotopersbureau De Boer (Poppe de Boer))

After the game, the entire board of the Dutch Federation met to discuss the unique moment. ,,I'm sorry'', Bob Sullivan told Organizing Chairman Gerard Voogd after the game. After the tournament, Bob Sullivan had nothing but compliments. He told the press at the time: ,,Dutch baseball is maturing. Not just in terms of the game itself, but especially in terms of the conditions. The crowd here has a better feel for the game, better than the last two times I was here. Back then, they only applauded for a single or a good catch. Now you get a feel for the right baseball-atmosphere an hour beforehand and even during the game. That's why I say that baseball in the Netherlands is maturing. Baseball in the Netherlands has a bright future''.

For the daily magazine ('Leesvoer') of the 1990 Baseball Week, the author of this In Memoriam (and the editor-in-chief of 'Leesvoer') spoke with the umpires involved, Cor Blitterswijk and Aart Wedemeijer, both of whom have sadly also passed away. Blitterswijk at the time: ,,I was on second base. One of the Sullivans-players broke up a double play quite hard, and that was simply not allowed here back then. I called him out, and Bob Sullivan came over. He was so angry. We exchanged words, he in English, I in Dutch. Well, since then, you're allowed to break up a double play in the Netherlands too''. Wedemeijer: ,,I was at the plate during the infamous brawl. A situation you never forget. Well, that really was something, but luckily we were able to finish the game''.

Bob Sullivan continued to return to Haarlem with his team regularly after 1969. Despite his performance in 1969, he too became a fan-favorite and one of the most respected and influential participants of the 'Week'.

When the team played in Haarlem, Bob Sullivan regularly invited former professional players to travel with the squad to the Netherlands, including former Major Leaguers Phil Regan in 1974 and Scott Meyer in 1982. Several Sullivans-players would play in the Major League in later years, like Paul Assenmacher (who participated in 1982), Jeff Cirillo (1990), Bronson Heflin (1992), Mike Sirotka (1990) and Mike Squires (1972). Assenmacher played in 14 Major League-seasons and appeared in the World Series in 1995 and 1997 with Cleveland Indians. Cirillo also played in 14 Major League-seasons and was selected for the All-Star Game in 1997 and 2000. Squires went on to play in 10 Major League-seasons. In 1980, he became the first left-handed catcher in Major League Baseball since 1958. And in 1983, he was the first left-handed third baseman in 50 years.

Through the years, the team regularly had players with Dutch-sounding family-names, like Maas, Minnema, Nyhuis, Postema, Schreyer, Terpstra, Vanderberg, Vanderlaan, Vandycke, Vanpelt, Veenstra, Visser and Vos. That of course had to do with the fact that the Sullivans came from Grand Rapids, which is located in an area of Michigan where many families with Dutch roots life. Not only in Grand Rapids, but also surrounding cities as Holland, Zeeland, Noordeloos, Borculo, Zutphen, Overisel, Bloomingdale and Orangeville.

...Bob with Carl Angelo during the 1998 Baseball Week... (© Photo: NHA/Fotopersbureau De Boer (Poppe de Boer))

Sullivan and his team participated in six consecutive 'Weeks' in 1968-1976 and in 1988-1998. Besides winning the Baseball Week six times, the team finished in second place three times and was third five times. In 1999, the Sullivans came one more time to the Netherlands to participate in the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam, where the team finished third.

In the fourteen times the Sullivans participated in Haarlem, several individual awards went to the American team. Three times, the team had the Most Valuable Player of the tournament: Jack Benedict (1968), Jack Rumohr (1969) and Glenn Dooney (1990). The team had the Best Pitcher four times: Rick Weinrich (1968), Rick Kruger (1969), Delwyn Lindsey (1971) and Tim McDonald (1992). Other awards included Homerun King (9x), Most Popular Player (2x) and Most Spectacular Player (3x). Bob Sullivan won the Press Award twice (1971, 1976) and the Best Coach Award once (1972).

Bob Sullivan's name is inextricably linked to that of Carl Angelo, who also was an important part of the Sullivans-team. Carl Angelo, who passed away in 2020 at age 88, played baseball for over fifty years and became a legend in his own right. For many years, Angelo owned a restaurant in Battle Creek and became Sullivan's right-hand man on the baseball-team. Initially, Angelo was one of the team's pitchers, later becoming an Assistant Coach. As mentioned, the Sullivans participated in fourteen Haarlem Baseball Weeks. Angelo was a regular pitcher in the first seven of them, through 1976. Sixteen years later (1992), Angelo pitched again in the 'Week'. Then, in 1996, he threw 1/3 inning at age 64, becoming the oldest player ever to participate in the Baseball Week. In four other tournaments, Angelo solely acted as a coach. Angelo missed one of the Baseball Weeks in which the Sullivans participated.

Carl Angelo also was very popular with the spectators, due to his pranks and antics during and around games. It earned him the nickname 'Carl the Clown'. In 1982, Angelo accounted for one of the most memorable moments in the history of the Haarlem Baseball Week when he played the National Anthems of the participating countries on his trumpet. In 1992, the Award for the Most Popular Player was named after Angelo. In 2002, Carl Angelo returned to the Netherlands for a vacation and then, during the 21st edition of the Haarlem Baseball Week, he donated the trumpet to the Netherlands Baseball and Softball Museum.

,,His legacy represents more than just his name on the field, represents dedication, sportsmanship, and a lifelong connection to the spirit of Grand Rapids in its community'', Steve Tibbe stated to Dee Morrison of WGVU News. ,,His life span of nearly a century of this history and was so integrated into Grand Rapids. The field that bears his name is a living reminder of the impact that one individual can have on a local community'', said Tibbe, who is the director of operations for Fans of Valley Field, a nonprofit group working to revitalize the historic Grand Rapids ballpark.

In 2013, Bob Sullivan received the Gerald R. Ford Award from the Michigan Hall of Fame. Also in 2013, Sullivan was inducted into the Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame n the category of Business and Industry.

...Bob Sullivan with Netherlands Team Coach... ...Charles Urbanus Sr. during the 1969 Haarlem Baseball Week... (© Photo: NHA/Fotopersbureau De Boer (Poppe de Boer))

In 1984, Bob Sullivan was one of thirteen persons, who were part of the second class that was inducted into the Netherlands Baseball and Softball Hall of Fame, alongside Bep van Beijmerwerdt, Jan Hartog, John Heijt, Co Hetem, Rob Hoffmann, Line Klein-Desta, Roel de Mon, Hamilton Richardson, Willem de Ruiter, Charles Urbanus Sr., Han Urbanus and Maarten Vrij. After the passing of Hamilton Richardson in January, Bob Sullivan was the last living member of this class.

After a few years, Bob Sullivan and his team became part of the Haarlem Baseball Week-furniture. From 1963 through 1998, they always accounted for spectacular baseball and much amusement. The team from Grand Rapids surely brought the tournament to a higher level.

Bob Sullivan always brought competitive teams to Haarlem. A few times, Sullivan had to compile a team within weeks before the tournament, when he was asked to fill in when another team was unable to come. Sullivan always acccepted and always was happy to come to Haarlem.

Besides entertaining the many spectators with excellent baseball, Bob Sullivan also enjoyed making his mark on a game with his regular discussions with umpires. ,,I really enjoyed those moments. Yeah, sometimes it was a show, hey, that's part of the game. But there surely have been some heated arguments to get everyone focused. Not only the umpires and my team, but also myself'', Sullivan said in an interview with author Marco Stoovelaar several years ago.

,,I loved coming to Haarlem, I loved the tournament and very much liked the organisors, we've always have had good contacts with each other'', Sullivan then also said. ,,This is a very unique event. I loved the spectators, I loved their singing, I loved the interaction with them. They know baseball, the Dutch fans are very knowledgeable. My players also enjoyed themselves very much each time. We returned regularly, always with pleasure. But I have to tell you that a few times, I demanded a confirmation and assurance from the organisors that we would definitely participate and not be placed on a reserve-list and then to be called to fill-in at the last moment. But hey, if they would call again today, I immediately would jump on a plane and come with my team''.

Bob Sullivan is one of the true legends of the Haarlem Baseball Week.

Bob will surely be missed by all organisors, volunteers and fans, but his legacy will live on in the Haarlem Baseball Week.

The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to Bob's family and friends and wishes them a lot of strength with this huge loss.

(February 22)