Yankees Clint Frazier (Red Thunder): The Maturation of a Young Man

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Yankees fans of Clint (Red Thunder) Frazier are excited. He is an exciting five tool player. Have you ever heard what he does off the field of play?

The Yankees Clint Frazier (video) has made a name for himself on the baseball field in a short time. We remember the shot of his mom (Kim Frazier) in the stands openly weeping as her son just hit his first home run. The pride in his father’s (Mark Frazier) eyes as his son delivered that shot into the stands. The raw excitement of his big sister (Taylor Frazier) watching her little brother succeed. Just made one feel good seeing it.

The story of this family has not always been all smiles. Clint and his sister enjoyed the life of an upper middle-class family in Loganville, Georgia, with a population of 11,674. Tyler attend a private Christian school, a luxury to most families. Life was good for the Frazier’s. Kim and Mark are devoted parents. Mark coached Clint Frazier every step of the way along his young baseball career. Kimmie ( as she is known by her family) would be seen out in the yard for hours on hours throwing batting practice to her red-headed son

Awards:

All of the Frazier family’s hard work and effort paid off for Clint Frazier. The awards started rolling in his senior year. Clint was the 2013 Gatorade National Player of the Year for baseball and recipient of the Jackie Robinson’s Perfect Game National Player of the Year award. In 2013 the Cleveland Indians selected him as the number five pick in the 2013 amateur players draft. Clint Frazier received a 3.5 million dollar signing bonus.

Things started to unravel for the Frazier’s back in 2009. Mark lost his long time sales place, to an economic downturn. Forced to live off family savings and retirement savings the family struggled to meet financial obligations. Another job appeared out of nowhere and helped stabilize this family. This allowed them to make that journey to San Diego, to see their son and brother receive the Jackie Robinson Award.

Unbeknownst, to the Yankees Clint Frazier. Ron Frazier would lose another job, to a downturn in the economy. Clint went off to live his dream of becoming a major league baseball player. He was struggling in his minor league début in the Indian’s organization. Word finally arrive of his family’s financial struggles, from a friend back home. He could not believe that his family did not tell him of their misfortune. He immediately contacted his financial advisor and arranged for his family’s money nightmare to be a thing of the past. That occurred before Clint Frazier (video) was even out of his teens.

Ethan Rutledge, Emily Rutledge, and family

Ethan Hunter Rutledge (video)

The Yankee’s Clint Frazier, back to his hometown of Loganville Georgia after turning around his first big league season in the Indians organization. Enjoying his time away from the game as all players do, Clint and his family were off in Panama City, Florida. On a much-needed family vacation. When tragedy stuck a family in his hometown.

Ethan Rutledge, a high school under-classmate of Yankees Clint Frazier, lost his life in a car wreck. Ethan had just started out his college life, as a freshman. For no clear reason, a young man lost his life. Ethan was that kid who was prom and homecoming king and football player. There were no signs of phone usages, texting or drinking. The intersection of highway 81 and 70 (now know as Ethan Rutledge Intersection), Clint Frazier’s fellow high school student was gone.

A few weeks passed, and Clint arranged a meeting with the Rutledge family. A young man showed up at the Rutledge family home with his favorite book, in his hand. “What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life,” Clint gave this book to Ethan’s mom. Charity Rutledge still cherishes this book today and its Christian message. That evening he met Ron and Charity Rutledge’s daughter, a High School student, Emily Rutledge. The lost of her big brother devastated Emily. Ethan was her rock, confidant, best friend and inspiration in life.

Later that evening the Yankees Clint Frazier made a large personal donation to the Rutledge family to help them out during their time of need. That was secondary to Clint, he then gave Emily and her family, his cell phone number and email address. Not only has this young man become a mentor and confidant to the Rutledge family. He has become Emily’s missing part in her life; Clint Frazier is now Emily’s big brother, best friend, and confidant. Always there to help out a struggling teenage girl, cope with the lost of her big brother and the struggles of everyday life a young women faces.

Neil Hollis and Emily Clark

Emily Clark (video)

Tragedy once again stuck the surrounding communities where the Yankees Clint Frazier resides. In April of 2016, a van load of nursing students were killed in a head-on collision with a semi tractor-trailer. Abbie Deloach, Caitlyn Baggett, Catherine McKay Pittman, Morgan Bass and Emily Clark all lost their lives to a driver texting on his cellphone.

Clint could not get over the story of Neal Hollis, a pharmacy college major. Neal had lost his wife to be, Emily Clark. That name Emily burned in his mind, and Emily Clark had only lived some sixty miles from Clint’s hometown. He was so engrossed in Emily Rutledge life that he could see this possible being her. Clint decided he needed to reach out to Neal, and see if he could help.

Frazier contacted Neal and exchanged emails and cell phone numbers. Often receiving text messages at all hours of the night, Clint was there for the grieving Neal. Helped Neal move on when he felt all was lost by simply being that need friend or a person to talk to.

The Yankees Clint Frazier, says the roles have reversed with him and Neal. Now, Neal is the one that Clint calls or texts when he has a bad day in the Yankee organization. Clint maintains that Neal Hollis keeps him grounded and focused.

There are much more examples of this young man’s kindness and generosity to his fellow-man in his local community. But one has to dig deep and even beg to get anyone to share those stories. Because Clint Frazier doesn’t do it for notoriety. He does it because he cares and it needed to be done.

That special someone

The Yankees Clint Frazier has another person in his life that keeps him grounded and focused. That is Faith Jewkes. Clint gives Faith a lot of credit for harnessing his brashness and abrasive confidence. She gave him something to focus on, in his life. Jewkes forced Clint Frazier to realize he had to become a leader inside and outside a clubhouse. Not by words but, rather by his deeds and actions towards his fellow teammates.

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Quite an athlete in her right. Faith has competed on the college level for Wofford College in track and field. She has become the check and balance system this young Yankee needed. Keeping his focus and maintaining that good positive attitude. As the Yankees Clint Frazier said, “She’s a part of the reason, if not a major reason, why I’ve had success this year and accomplished a dream.”

Yankee’s Clint Frazier’s values!

It is quite obvious that the Yankees Clint Frazier owes a lot to his family. They have taught this young man the value of reaching out and helping your fellow-man. As Kim Frazier (video) taught Bub or Bubba (his family nicknames) the meaning of the word “JOY” (Jesus, Others, then Yourself). This has long been the family value instilled by the Frazier family, in their children.

In today’s world, we see young men and women with tattoos everywhere on their body. Clint Frazier has a tattoo himself. He has his favorite bible verse tattooed on his wrist, Phillippians 4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. His mother asked Clint what would he do if his major league team would not allow him to have his tattoo. He responded, ” I guess I want to play for that team.”

Ron and Kim Frazier, when #77 Clint Jackson Frazier, takes the field and his name is announced. Followed up by the famous Yankees roll call, you have a lot to be proud of and not just on the baseball diamond.

Next: Yankees: Cashman’s deal for Sonny Gray reaches far into the future

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