Grand Rapids Sullivans

The Grand Rapids Sullivans (1953-1999) were an amateur baseball team that were formed in 1953 by local businessman Bob Sullivan. Their home games were played at Valley Field in Grand Rapids, MI.

The Sullivans appeared at every National Baseball Congress World Series from 1955 to 1987, winning the tournament four times. They even played in international tournaments such as Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands, which they won five times.

The Sullivans made their final appearance at the NBC World Series in 1991 but continued to travel to The Netherlands to take part in the Haarlem tournament. Their last tournament appearance came at the 1999 World Port Tournament in Rotterdam where they finished third out of four teams.

NBC World Series Championship Appearances

• 1960, beat the Ponchatoula Athletics 8-6
• 1961, lost to the Ponchatoula Athletics 9-8
• 1970, beat the Anchorage Glacier Pilots 4-0
• 1983, beat the Alaska Goldpanners 11-1
• 1984, beat the Liberal BeeJays 8-2
• 1986, lost to the Anchorage Glacier Pilots 11-8
• 1989, lost to the Wichita Broncos 3-2

Haarlem Baseball Week

• 1963, Winners
• 1968, Winners
• 1969, Winners
• 1971, 2nd
• 1972, 2nd
• 1974, 3rd
• 1976, 3rd
• 1982, 3rd
• 1988, Winners
• 1990, Winners
• 1992, 2nd
• 1994, 2nd
• 1996, 3rd
• 1998, 3rd

Notable Alumni

• Al Kaline
• Kirk Gibson
• Willie Horton
• Jim Kaat
• Phil Regan
• Mickey Stanley
• John Farrell
• Mike Cupples
• John Vanderwal
• Bill Bates
• Bill Davis
• Jack Kralick
• Jim Command
• Rusty Gerhardt
• Daryl Spencer
• Jack Rumohr
• Glenn Dooner
• Dave Hollins
• Paul Assenmacher
• Bill Lyons
• Bill Landrum
• Rob Ellis

• Ron Pruitt
• Rick Kreuger
• Mike Cubbage

Sources include Baseball in Europe by Josh Chetwynd