John Andrew Smoltz, popular as Smoltzie, is a former American professional baseball player who appeared in twenty-two seasons of MLB. Born in a Christian household in Michigan, he grew up alongside his brother, Mike, and a sister named Bernadette.
A baseball enthusiast from a young age, John stayed with the Atlanta Braves throughout his professional career, except in 2009. After spending three years playing minor leagues, he made his MLB debut with the Braves in 1988.
Considered one of the greatest baseball pitchers in the league’s history, John is an eight-time All-Star and recipient of several awards, including the Silver Slugger Award and Roberto Clemente Award.
A true Atlanta Braves legend, the club inducted him into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2015. Moreover, the Braves retired no. 29, the jersey number Smoltz wore during his MLB career, on June 8, 2012.
Following his retirement, Smoltz began his sports media career as an analyst and color commentator for the Fox Sports and MLB Network.
The former athlete has been a commentator during All-Star games and World Series, the baseball league’s biggest events, since 2016.
John Smoltz Family And Sister Bernadette
John Smoltz was born on May 15, 1967, to his parents, John Adam and Mary, in Warren, Michigan. Originally from Detroit, his family migrated to Lansing while John and his siblings were still very little.
His grandfather had previously worked for the Detroit Tigers in its administrative unit for around 30 years. Maybe because of that, the Smoltz children became lifelong fans of the Detroit Tigers, although John played for the Braves all his life.
Smoltz is the oldest of the three children. Aside from him, his parents had two children, a younger brother named Michael “Mike” and a younger sister named Bernadette. Since they did not have substantial age differences, they grew up playing together in their backyard.
John’s younger brother, Mike, and his sister initially enjoyed playing baseball and softball, but they later chose different career paths.
His sister, Bernadette, attended Michigan State University just like her brothers did. Although she played softball in college, she primarily focused on her studies. Still, she was a letter winner at Michigan State consecutively for two years in 1990 and 1991.
Besides, Bernadette also was associated with sports apparel companies like Champion Sports Apparel and Worth Sports for a long time. She has around ten years of working experience in this sector.
Bernadette later graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Science from the University in 1992. She is now married and has been working as a pediatrician since 1992.
Their father, John Adam, died in 2002 at age 79.
John Has Six Children From Two Marriages
The successful baseball pitcher has six children from his relationships with two women. John was previously married to Dylan Struble in 1991. He had met her some years before at a function at Omni Hotel in Atlanta.
The couple together had four children-a son and three daughters. After living together for sixteen years, the couple separated in 2007. Nevertheless, John has a good relationship with all his children.
After two years of divorce, Smoltz married Kathryn Darden on May 16, 2009. His close friends and family attended the wedding ceremony at his residence in Atlanta.
He currently lives in Alpharetta, Georgia, with his wife and two young children.
