An Estrangement From Parents Called ‘a Family Thing’

J.T. Snow is dealing with the trade that sent him from the Angels to the San Francisco Giants. He had no control over it.

A family split, however, was apparently of his own choosing. Snow has not talked to his parents, former Ram star Jack Snow and his wife, Mary Carol, in almost 2 1/2 years.

“It’s a family thing, a personal thing, and I don’t want to comment on it,” J.T. Snow said.

Said Jack Snow from his home in St. Louis, “J.T. asked us to stay out of his life and we’re adhering to that. We’ve got three children and we’re close to two of them. Two out of three isn’t bad. I don’t mean to be glib, but these things happen in a lot of families.

“It’s difficult and it hurts a lot, particularly his mom [who is battling cancer], but we have two grandchildren, a new home in St. Louis and we’re getting on with our life.”

An athletically successful father took obvious pride in his son’s athletic success, particularly when J.T.’s career flourished in Orange County, where he grew up. Sources in the Angel organization expressed concern at times that his father might be putting too much pressure on him, but the senior Snow called that ridiculous and suggested it wasn’t a factor in his son’s decision to end their relationship.

“Kids get married at a young age and change,” he said. “J.T.’s wife [Stacie] came from a family that had no idea what it took to be a professional athlete.

“It’s never easy being the offspring of one and maybe my success and involvement hung over her or both of them in some way. I don’t know. I don’t know what motivated the change. We’re simply honoring his request.”