Throughout the history of professional sports, talented athletes have executed their skills and sportsmanship on and off the court or even the boxing ring. Often, cheering fans find that a successful player is the son, daughter, or cousin of a previous dynamic athlete that dominated the sport years before. The athletic lineage, whether derived from inherited genes or having a parent as a coach, has turned certain sports for some families into traditions, careers, and formed legacies. Crafted below is a list of a few of the major leading families in various sports.
FOOTBALL
From 1971 to 1984, Archie Manning played for the Minnesota Vikings, the Houston Oilers, and the New Orleans Saints. After playing 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), Manning’s sons Peyton and Eli have taken his place on the football field. P. Manning is in his 14th season with the Indianapolis Colts while younger brother, E. Manning, is in his 8th season with the New York Giants. “They are all quarterbacks,” said senior Sameer Jagani regarding the Mannings family, “Both Eli and Peyton led comebacks against the [New England] Patriots on their way to their Super Bowl Championships.” The Mannings have established themselves as franchise quarterbacks; together, the family has two Super Bowl Championships, two Super Bowl MVPs, and appearances at 12 Pro Bowls.
The Matthews
In 1949, William Clay Matthews, Sr. was drafted in the NFL, sparking the beginning of athletic ascendancy that would continue for over 60 years. Though Matthews’s journey with the San Francisco 49ers was interrupted by the Korean War, in which he became a paratrooper for the Army, he played four seasons as a defensive tackle, linebacker, and offensive linemen. His sons, William Clay, Jr. and Bruce followed in his footsteps, with a combined total of 18 Pro Bowl appearances. B. Matthews was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. “I think Bruce is an all around athlete,” said junior Lance Rider, “Not only because he went to the Hall of Fame but also because he was always willing to give words of advice and he is said to be one of the best linemen in [football] history.” C. Matthews, Jr.’s sons, Clay III and Casey have continued on the path of football legacy. C. Matthews, III plays as a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers while his younger brother, C. Matthews was recently drafted to the Oregon Ducks. B. Matthew’s sons, Kevin and Jake, both played for the Texas A&M Aggies and K. Matthews currently plays for the Tennessee Titans.
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BASKETBALL
Four -time Pro-Bowl Calvin Hill left his mark on the football field for 12 seasons. According to the Official NFL website, Hill played for the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, and the Cleveland Browns. He attended Yale University, becoming the first black quarterback in the school’s history. Hill’s son, Grant followed a different sports path. G. Hill played basketball for Duke University and was later drafted in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Detroit Pistons. He has also played for the Orlando Magic and in 2007 he began his journey as small forward for the Phoenix Suns. Just like his father, G. Hill has won many awards such as three- time winner of the NBA sportsmanship award and seven- time NBA All-Star.
BASEBALL
The Boones
The Boone family has provided Major League Baseball (MBA) with three generations of All-Star players. Ray Boone started of the legacy of this vibrant family as a member of the 1948 World Series champion Cleveland Indians and a two-time All-Star. His son, Bob Boone continued on the family heritage, winning the Gold Glove Award seven times and was a four-time All-Star himself. B. Boone had two sons, Bret and Aaron. Combined the two brothers have played for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Florida Marlins, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and the Minnesota Twins.
RACING
The Andretti family is the biggest family in the sport of auto racing. Starting off the family legacy, Mario Andretti is one of two drivers to ever win the Indy 500, Daytona 500, and Formula One Championship. His son, Michael, now owns the Andretti Green Racing of the Indy Racing League, and has 42 wins in his CART career. His son, Marco, is a highly rated driver in the IRL with one win under his belt.
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
The Gracies
As the biggest family in the mixed martial arts (MMA) world, the Gracie family continues to transform the sport in Brazil and America. The family founded Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which is part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in America and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu that has been handed down from generation to generation of Gracies. There are over 30 members of the family involved in MMA; Royce Gracie has won many UFC tournaments and Roger Gracie is an eight-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion. The family now has over 100 academies in America where they share their knowledge and wisdom of MMA.
HOCKEY
The Sutters
In the 1970s and 1980s, six Canadian brothers changed the face of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brothers Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich, and Ron Sutter have collectively played over 5,000 games and won six Stanley Cups. The brothers scored together 1,320 goals, tallied 1,614 assists, and cumulated over 7,000 penalty minutes according to the Bleacher Report. And that was only the first generation. The second generation, their sons Shaun, Merrick, Brett, Brandon, Brody, and Luke followed in their father’s footsteps, also playing for the NHL.
The Hulls
According to Dulcinea Media, Bobby Hull turned the Chicago Blackhawks around; from finishing last in the NHL playoffs four times in a row to a Stanley Cup win in 1961. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983, with a career of 610 goals and 1,170 points in 1,063 games. His brother, Dennis was selected for the All-Star team six times in a row and played a total of 14 seasons, 13 with the Chicago Blackhawks, and 1 season with the Detroit Red Wings. B. Hull’s son, Brett led the Dallas Stars to a Stanley Cup victory in 1999. His second Stanley Cup was won with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002. Brett’s careers totals included 741 goals, 650 assists and 1,391 points.
BOXING
The Mayweathers
The Mayweathers is one of the most successful boxing families in the sport. Floyd, Sr., a welterweight contender and his younger brother, Roger, who was a World Boxing Championship super featherweight and lightweight champion, have taught Floyd, Jr. the uncanny defensive skills that he would use to dominate the sport. Floyd, Jr. has a 40-0 record and six world boxing championships in five divisions. Chemistry teacher Jason Balne believes F. Mayweather is “an amazing boxer” and finds it interesting that his father and uncle taught him all the skills he needed.