GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Bob Sullivan, a local business owner and baseball enthusiast who worked to positively impact his neighbors, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 96.
The nonprofit organization Fans of Valley Field confirmed his death to FOX 17 on Wednesday.
Sullivan was the long-time owner of Sullivan's Carpet and Furniture on 28th Street, as well as the Howard Johnson hotel. A native west sider, Sullivan grew up near Valley Field, according to Fans of Valley Field Vice President Paul Soltysiak. The field was later renamed Sullivan Field in his honor in 1996.
Over the years, Sullivan donated to the Grand Rapids Parks Department to cover the entry fee at public pools for kids who lived in the city.
Sullivan also spent years as a scout for the Detroit Tigers, helping identify more than 70 players who reached the major leagues, said Soltysiak. Along with his scouting duties, Sullivan sponsored an amateur baseball team in Grand Rapids, named the Sullivans. It won four national championships.
