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Host families play important role in Bristol Sox player's lives

May 3, 2013 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Bristol White Sox News Release


Host families play an important role in the lives of many minor league baseball players, who find themselves away from home - sometimes for the first time, and in need of a friendly face, a warm meal and a comfortable bed as they adjust to playing baseball professionally.

Manny Lutz, who starred in Bristol Sox uniform from 1996 through 1998, was one such player who benefitted from a host family. Lutz arrived in Bristol in 1996 after being sent down from the Hickory Crawdads, the single-A team in the Chicago organization at the time.

"My first year was a foggy time," said Lutz. "It wasn't a very good time for me, because I was sent down.''

After arriving in 1996, Lutz would spend the better part of three years in Bristol, appearing in 185 games and setting a record for the most games played in a Sox uniform.

During 1996, Lutz met Dustin Grizzle, who was the batboy for the Sox that season. Lutz and Grizzle became good friends during that season. Upon his return to Bristol in 1997, Lutz asked Grizzle if he could stay with his parents for the summer.

Having a host family, and saving on the cost of an apartment or hotel appealed to Lutz.

"I wasn't making a lot of money," said Lutz. "I was making around 900 bucks a month."

Dustin Grizzle was on board with the idea, because what kid wouldn't love to have a professional baseball player live with them. His parents, David and Tammy Grizzle, agreed and welcomed Lutz into their home for the 1997 season.

"They were kind of hesitant of the situation," said Lutz. "But they welcomed me and they were amazing hosts.

In 1998, Lutz returned to Bristol for his final season with the Sox and the Grizzles even let Lutz borrow a car for the summer. Lutz still keeps in contact with the Grizzles to this very day and even calls Tammy "Momma." Lutz and Dustin grew to be great friends. Lutz even came in for Dustin's wedding a couple of years ago.

Lutz praises the Grizzles for being a host family for him during those three years.

"They are still considered family," continued Lutz. "I'm their life son."

In the Appalachian League today, most players do not make a lot of money, and are paid only during the season. The money players can save on rent is appreciated.

"The kids that come from the Dominican or Puerto Rico come from poverty basically; it helps them out to be able to save some money" said Lutz. "Even the guys from the States that are away from home are more than likely homesick and to come into a family with open arms is a great thing.''

Having a host family helps the players adjust to life away from their homes.

Lutz practically grew up in Bristol as he arrived as a 20-year-old in 1996.

His time in Bristol was ''one of the proudest and best times of my life,'' said Lutz. "I remember opening my first bank account right down the street at Nations Bank."

The small-town atmosphere of Bristol also gave Lutz a sense of home, because of the care and welcome that the Grizzles gave him as well as his experiences with other Bristolians. Interactions with the fans outside of the game through barbeques and other events made the experience something that will last a lifetime for Lutz.

He was known as "The Mayor" to several during his time in a Bristol Sox uniform. Teammate Jason Fennell gave Lutz the nickname "The Mayor" in 1998, because he had been there so long and seemed to know everybody.

Lutz even became good friends with chief of police Bill Price that year, with Lutz attending the chief's son's birthday party with teammates Fennell and Derek Wallace.

When asked why Bristol was so special to him, Lutz quickly replied ''the people. The people that I was affiliated with made this experience last a lifetime.''

Lutz was a part of one of the best teams Bristol has ever had in 1998, when the Sox went 42-24 and beat the Princeton Devil Rays for the Appalachian League title.

"[Chicago] kept that team together and we played well enough to win a championship,'' said Lutz. "It was definitely a special year."

Lutz played primarily first base, batting .305, with 21 doubles, 17 home runs, and 58 RBIs in 1998.

That season, Lutz became the last position player to pitch in a game for the Sox. It was against the then-Bluefield Orioles, in a game where the Sox were up several runs on the Orioles.

"I told [Nick] Capra that I could throw an inning," said Lutz. "I came in, faced my three batters, and I even had a strikeout."

He was clocked in the low 90s, about which he was surprised.

Lutz holds several single-season records for the Sox in categories such as at-bats and runs batted in. In fact, he holds the top two spots on the single-season RBI team leaderboard, with his 1997 and 19982 seasons.

Lutz also ranks in the top five in runs scored, hits, doubles and home runs during a single season for the Sox. He is the Sox career leader in games played, at- bats, runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, and RBIs.

During a recent interview, Lutz took a walk down memory lane as he mentioned several things he missed about Bristol and great stories of his time playing for the Sox.

Lutz recalls winning a washer and dryer for a family at a Martinsville Phillies game, because he hit a home run. He says he still remembers the smell of the ballpark and the creek that runs beside DeVault Memorial Stadium, where he caught crawdads during rainouts.

"We were big kids," said Lutz. "It was great moment in my life."

He mentioned several other things he missed about Bristol, from the fireflies, which he didn't realize were real at first, to how green the grass was. He was also intrigued that he could be in two different states at the same time.

He has fond memories of some of the local food on which he survived on his meager budget.

"At the time I could go to Big Ed's Subs and get a two foot sub for five dollars," said Lutz. "It would do me for lunch and dinner."

After the 1998 season, Lutz left the White Sox organization and played in the Detroit Tigers' farm system.

After being released by the Detroit Tigers organization in 2000, Lutz went to Mexico to play for five years.

Today, Lutz lives in San Diego and is a salesman for Syntec Diamond Tools. He married the love of his life, Megan, in 2003, and has three children, Gabriel, 9, Breanna, 7, and Dominic, 3.

"They (my children) all are athletes," said Lutz. "My family is what baseball used to be for me."

Lutz is still remembered in Bristol.

"In 2003 when I came back to Bristol to visit, I went to the cigar shop on State Street,'' Lutz recalled. "The gentleman that owned it recognized me. I always used to go in there to enjoy a cigar and a soda when I was playing in Bristol. The guy pointed at me and said 'Manny Lutz.' He thanked me for the '98 season and it was cool to get that kind of recognition."

Lutz exemplifies what playing professional baseball in Bristol should be, and appreciated small town living during his time here.

"Seriously, Bristol is a good place to live," said Lutz. "Just like the sign says."

Fans interested in hosting a player for the 2013 season can contact the Bristol Sox Boosters Club at boosters@bristolbaseball.com.



Appalachian League Stories from May 3, 2013


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