Charlie and Joan Frazier are baseball parents, having raised three boys who all played professional baseball. Their hard work, patience, and guidance are just three of the many reasons that Little League is happy to recognize the Fraziers as the 2015 George and Barbara Bush Little League® Parents of the Year.
“Mr. and Mrs. Frazier recognize the values that make Little League unique, and continue to give their children the direction and support that allowed each to achieve and excel,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “Mr. and Mrs. Frazier were there for children, and nurtured the balance between work ethic, the will to succeed, and enjoying the game. We are proud to present them with this award.”
Mr. and Mrs. Frazier raised their children in Toms River, N.J., each of them playing Little League. Mr. Frazier coached high school basketball for several years. Even with his seasons of experience molding young athletes, he credits his wife with teaching him the value of positive reinforcement.
Charlie Frazier, Jr., 34, was drafted by the Florida Marlins in 1999. He played five seasons of professional baseball, reaching Double A. Jeff, 32, played on the Toms River East Little League, teams that competed in the 1995 and 1996 Little League Baseball® World Series, and in 2004, was drafted by the Detroit Tigers. After year in the Mariners organization, Jeff played for the Tigers organization through the 2010 season. Charlie, Jr., and Jeff now operate Frazier Baseball, a company that teaches younger children the fundamentals of the game.
Todd Frazier, 29, burst onto the international stage in River East Little League to the World Championship. As the winning pitcher of the Championship Game, Todd went 4 for 4 from the plate, leading off the game with a home run. Now, nearly two decades later, Todd is an All-Star third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, who got to start for the National League this year at his home field, Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark. This year, he became the first Little League Baseball World Series graduate to win the MLB Home Run Derby.
While the Frazier boys have experienced baseball at the highest level, it’s their local Little League experience that holds a special place in the family’s heart.
“The kids were very interested in Little League from an early age,” said Mr. Frazier. “We probably hit thousands of balls to them by the time they were four years old. Once the kids started playing, they wanted to hang out at the Little League fields even when they weren’t playing.”
Throughout their lives, the Frazier boys have benefited greatly from their personal Little League experiences.
“We told the boys about the good things and the bad things in life,” said Mr. Frazier. “We always told the kids, whether it’s a good day or a bad day, be positive, stay under the radar, do you job, and go home.’”
The George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year Award was established in 1980 and is presented annually to the parents of a MLB player who were actively involved in their son’s Little League experience. The award is named in honor of the 41st President of the United States, George H.W. Bush, and former First Lady Barbara Bush. Both were Little League volunteers during their children’s early years in Midland, Texas, and continue to support Little League today.
More than the recognition of one set of parents annually, the George and Barbara Bush Parents of the Year Award is designed to be a symbolic recognition of the millions of mothers and fathers who dedicate their time and resources to ensure their children have a meaningful Little League experience.
Mr. and Mrs. Frazier will be recognized with an on-field ceremony on Saturday, August 22, prior to the start of the 8 p.m. game at the Little League Baseball World Series.
Over the course of 10 days, 32 games will be played in the 69th Little League Baseball World Series, concluding with the Little League Baseball World Series Championship Game, which is scheduled for 3 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 30. For more information on the 2015 Little League Baseball World Series, visit LLBWS.org.