July 3, 2007
If sports are America's first love, then it makes sense that a few families, through their achievements and personalities, have become something like dynasties. The Shulas and Bowdens of football, the Earnhardts and Pettys of racing, and the Barrys of basketball are just a few examples of success that spans generations.
But there is something about baseball that seems to make these father-son pairings more frequent. Maybe it's the simply the nature of the game as the national pastime, but baseball's record books contain a laundry list of successful families. Some, like the Alomars and Stottlemyres, have been amongst the great players in their own times. A lucky few have been durable enough to share the field as father and son, like the Griffeys. But most often, the father-son relationship is maintained as a player and coach. The legendary Alou and Ripken families had great success with this arrangement.
These father-son pairings tend to have a few things in common. They are usually successful, but they are always subject to scrutiny. Whether it's from parents complaining of perceived favoritism on a little league team or matters of trivia in the majors, the coach and player are constantly asked what it's like to share the dugout. Penn State's own Robbie and Cory Wine respond no differently than any other baseball family: Off the field, they're fine with mugging for the cameras. But when they put on the uniform, their focus is on winning.
The Wines keep a professional relationship on the field, putting their goals and the goals of the team before family ties. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find Cory taking advantage of his father's position, besides the occasional trip to the coach's house in Boalsburg for a hot meal or a load of laundry. The fact is, the Wines work well together as a player and coach, and that's the way they like it.
The fact that father didn't coach his son until this high level of competition is a testament to the talent of both. In just two short years, the elder Wine has the team well on its way to national recognition. Robbie Wine is bringing talent from around the country to Happy Valley, which has paid dividends in the team's record. The Nittany Lions finished 31-26 this season-their best record since 2000-and had five players drafted in the recent Major League Baseball Draft, the most of any team in the Big Ten.
Admittedly, it took some time for the Major League vet to adjust to college competition. "It's a totally different game," said Wine. "There's more intensity and emotion." He does, however, believe that the Penn State program prepares players for the big leagues by teaching players to do a variety of things well. This is particularly important in the college game, where an opponent's strengths and playing style varies from game to game and year to year.
Meanwhile, Cory has developed into a Major League prospect. As a freshman, he played in 53 of 56 games, hitting .306 and playing rock solid defense at first base. This season, Wine showed the mental game to accompany his talents. With their backs against the wall in the Big Ten Tournament, Wine hit a two-run double and a solo home run that knocked top-seed Michigan out of the tournament.
Cory's clutch play certainly got his dad smiling-but not for the reasons you might expect. By Coach Wine's account, he was just glad for the team.
"The way the team pulled together (in that game) was exactly what I imagined," said Wine. "Somebody needed to step up, and it just happened to be Cory. I would have been just as happy if it was (Rob) Yodice or (Matt) Cavagnaro."
After the game, however, was a different story. "When the game is over and you're back at the hotel with your wife and kids, that's when the family end of it comes in," said the coach. "Then I have my mom and dad asking how their grandson did," he added with a chuckle.
Ultimately, the family atmosphere of the team absorbs their family ties. Coach Wine remarks that both he and Cory are quiet, lead-by-example types, keeping a balanced team dynamic in the emotional college game.
But this is just an example of a coach knowing the right way to motivate all of his players. When asked what lessons he has tried to instill to his son, Wine emphasizes the effort he has put in to teaching the entire team. "It's something you try to teach every guy on the team,,in life and in baseball, there are a lot of failures. It's how you come out of them that makes you who you are." Or, as the coach put concisely: "You don't let your last at-bat affect the next."