Courtesy of Susie Hardy, Getty Images
Sons of IX
Susie and J.J. Hardy
Susie Shinn's promising golf career ended far too early. And for an elite athlete, that can be a tough pill to swallow. But for the woman now known as Susie Hardy, her son's success as a big league shortstop makes it easy to smile. Susie was a top amateur in the late 1970s at the University of Arizona -- she finished 20th in the 1977 AIAW championship -- before carpal tunnel syndrome ended her trajectory. Fortunately, it didn't stop her from keeping J.J. on his toes. "She beat me in every sport, and I didn't like losing," says J.J., a member of the Baltimore Orioles who's now in his eighth MLB season. His dad, Mark, was a pro tennis player, so J.J. had plenty of competitive influences. But he remembers one lesson from Mom in particular. "The glass was always half full with her," J.J. says. "That has helped me a lot."
