When former Atlanta Braves star Chipper Jones wanted his love child to reap the rewards of his MLB legacy

In an ESPN interview published in September 2021, former Atlanta Braves star Chipper Jones opened up about wanting his love child to reap the rewards of his MLB legacy.

ESPN's Gary Miller asked Jones about his opinion on former tennis sensation Alexandra Stevenson meeting her father -- former NBA player Julius Erving -- for the first time in October 2008. The encounter was documented by ESPN.com's "Reaching Out."

Julius Erving met Samantha Stevenson, a female sportswriter, in 1976. At the time, the NBA icon was playing with the Philadelphia 76ers. During their affair, Stevenson was impregnated by Erving. Alexandra was officially born on December 15, 1980. However, the NBA HOFer did not show up at the hospital during his daughter's birth.

Erving's ex-flame signed an agreement to keep the birth out of the news. In return, she received a modest monthly stipend and gained sole custody of their daughter. Stevenson signed the contract because she didn't want Erving's public image to take a hit.

Samantha found out about her father's identity when she was four. It was revealed to the public in 1999 that Julius Erving was Alexandra's father. However, the public disclosure of their relationship did not initially lead to contact between the two of them. They did not reunite until October 2008.

Former Atlanta Braves superstar and HOFer Chipper Jones had a similar experience in his life. He was involved in an extramarital affair with a Hooters waitress in the late 1990s, resulting in the birth of his son out of wedlock.

Drawing parallels, ESPN's Gary Miller threw a question at Jones. He asked about his take on NBA icon Julius Erving and former tennis star Alexandra Stevenson's controversial father-daughter relationship.

"It's interesting. I'm sure you have already heard that we had Alexandra Stevenson on the show this week and Dr. J. Publicly we found out, but she had known since she was four and they really only met each other once. When you see a story like that, can you sort of relate to it and say "gee, I'm glad I got involved right away?"

Chipper Jones responded by saying he didn't want to hide his love child, Matthew, from the world. Instead, he was enthusiastic about his son getting to watch him play baseball at a high level.

"It's stories like that which urge me to be a bigger part in Matthew's life. I want him to see me on TV and say 'That's my Dad!'. I want him to go to school and for kids to say "Hey, can I have your Dad's autograph." I want him to be proud of me. The only way for me to get those reactions out of him is for me to be a very integral part of his life."

Chipper Jones' scandalous affair happened during a time when his ex-wife was struggling to conceive a child. Naturally, the news of Jones' adultery caused her immense pain.

Chipper Jones legally recognized his lovechild

Washington Nationals v Atlanta Braves: ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 8: Former Braves player Chipper Jones participates in a pre-game ceremony honoring many Braves alumni players prior to the game against the Washington Nationals at Turner Field on August 8, 2014, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin Liles/Getty Images)

Chipper Jones' 18-month-long affair with a Hooters waitress ruined his marriage to his ex-wife, Karin Fulford. They initially tried to make the marriage work, but their attempt at reconciliation was unsuccessful. The pair filed for divorce in 2000.

Once the divorce was finalized, Chipper asked the Fulton County court to legally recognize his lovechild, Matthew, as his son. The former MLB star has been married two more times and fathered five additional sons.