How Hep Cronin Was A Big Reason Why The Atlanta Braves Drafted Chipper Jones

UCLA head coach Mick Cronin’s dad, Hep Cronin, has really made a name for himself during the team’s dream run in the NCAA Tournament. Hep Cronin is constantly seen by cameras cheering his tail off for his son, while sitting in the stands.

While Hep Cronin might look like a glorified cheerleader to most fans watching the games, he’s actually had a massive impact on the sports world. Hep was a big scout for the Atlanta Braves, and helped the team draft the likes of David Justice and Chipper Jones.

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Hep Cronin had an especially big impact on the Braves’ decision to draft Chipper Jones.

Per Sports Illustrated:

Baseball scouting is rife with missed evaluations, but Hep had more than his share of hits. He touted the Braves on a kid who was at tiny NAIA Thomas More College named David Justice, who would be the NL Rookie of the Year in 1990 and a key cog in the great Braves teams of the 1990s.

“I followed the kid every game for two weeks,” Hep says. “The guy working the ticket gate said, ‘We might have to invite you to the team banquet. You’ve been to more games than some players.’ “

The Braves would end up drafting Chipper Jones in 1990, and the rest was history. The third baseman was one of the best hitters in the entire MLB throughout a generation that included a bunch of guys cheating with PEDs. Chipper was inducted into the Hall-of-Fame in 2018.

Hep Cronin will be in attendance for his son on Tuesday, as the Bruins will look to upset Michigan with a chance to reach the Final Four.

The Cronin family seems to know how to find winning players…no matter the sport.

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