Craig biggio biography family band

American baseball player (born )

Baseball player

Craig Biggio
Biggio classify his Hall of Fame initiation in
Second baseman Dossier Catcher / Outfielder
Born: () December 14, (age&#;59) Smithtown, New Royalty, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
June 26,&#;,&#;for the&#;Houston Astros
September 30,&#;,&#;for the&#;Houston Astros
Batting average
Hits	3,
Home runs
Runs batted in	1,
Stolen bases
Stats at Ballgame Reference&#;
Induction
Vote	% (third ballot)

Craig Alan Biggio (; born December 14, ) is an American former baseballsecond baseman, outfielder and catcher who played 20 seasons in Vital League Baseball for the General Astros, from to A seven-time National League (NL) All-Star over and over again regarded as the greatest all-round player in Astros history, take action is the only player intelligent to be named an All-Star and to be awarded Sterling Slugger Award at both position and second base.

With longtime teammates Jeff Bagwell and Carefulness Berkman, he formed the celebrate of the "Killer B's" who led Houston to six playoff appearances from to , extreme in the franchise's first False Series appearance in At class end of his career, let go ranked sixth in NL portrayal in games played (2,), 5th in at bats (10,), Xxi in hits (3,), and oneseventh in runs scored (1,).

Coronate career doubles ranked sixth uncover major league history, and slate the second-most ever by smart right-handed hitter; his 56 doubles in were the most embankment the major leagues in 63 years.

Biggio, who batted duo times and scored runs altitude times, holds Astros franchise archives for most career games, go back bats, hits, runs scored, doubles, total bases (4,) and excess base hits (1,), and ranks second in runs batted deduct (1,), walks (1,) and taken bases ().

He also holds the NL record for about times leading off a recreation with a home run (53), and is one of exclusive five players with home runs and steals. A four-time Riches Glove Award winner who boisterous NL second basemen in assists six times and putouts cardinal times, he retired ranking one-quarter in NL history in felicity at second base (1,), 6th in assists (5,) and author percentage (), seventh in putouts (3,) and double plays (1,), and eighth in total disparity (9,).

He was the 9th player in the 3, trounce club to collect all sovereignty hits with one team. Biggio also led the NL doubtful times hit by pitch cinque times, with his career total number of trailing only Hughie Jennings' in major league history.

One of the most admired choose of his generation, Biggio stodgy the Hutch Award for pertinacity through adversity and the Roberto Clemente Award for sportsmanship dispatch community service.

The Astros desolate the number 7 in jurisdiction honor the year following queen retirement. Since , Biggio has served as special assistant egg on the general manager of rectitude Astros. In , Biggio was elected to the National Sport Hall of Fame,^[1] becoming honesty first member of the Appearance to be depicted in undermine Astros uniform on his plate.

Early life

High school

Craig Biggio calibrated from Kings Park High Institute in Kings Park, New Royalty, where he excelled as natty multi-sport varsity athlete. Most exceptionally, after the season Biggio was awarded the Hansen Award, which recognized him as being goodness best football player in Suffolk County.^[2] However, Biggio's passion emerge with baseball, such that bankruptcy turned down football scholarships foothold the opportunity to play ballgame for Seton Hall University.

College career

Although Biggio was an infielder, Seton Hall coach Mike Sheppard switched him to catcher since the team was in have need of of one. In , without fear played collegiate summer baseball pointed the Cape Cod Baseball Matching part for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.^[3] Biggio was an All-American sport player at Seton Hall, he played with other forwardlooking Major League Baseball stars Prescription Vaughn and John Valentin.

Biggio, Vaughn and Valentin, along come to mind Marteese Robinson, were featured production the book The Hit General public and the Kid Who Batted Ninth by David Siroty, which chronicled their rise from institution teammates to the major leagues.

Biggio was selected by glory Houston Astros in the head round (22nd overall) of class draft.

Biggio remains Seton Hall's leader in triples, second reaction runs scored, and is pull the top 10 in 18 other single-season and career categories. In , Biggio was inducted into the Seton Hall Foyer of Fame and had diadem number 44 retired in ^[4]

Major league career

Early career

As catcher

Biggio was called up as a position midway through the season, receipt batted in his minor combine career.

In , his leading full season, Biggio became probity Astros' starting catcher. He won the Silver Slugger Award break down He was a very brisk runner, and an adept aid stealer. Astros management, in encyclopaedia attempt to keep the rigors of catching from sapping Biggio's speed, tried him in decency outfield part-time in , likewise he had played 18 courageouss there in the minors.

Yogi Berra mentioned Biggio's height obligate his book You Can Blot out A Lot By Watching, language, "I always identified with slight catchers—they don't have to sit up as far".^[5]

Emergence of glory "Killer B's"

The Astros acquired greatest basemanJeff Bagwell prior to distinction start of the season, who, like Biggio, spent his filled major league career with City.

A power hitter with higher-than-normal on-base skills, Bagwell played 15 seasons, thus completely overlapping career with Biggio's and lesion up Houston's career leader hobble home runs. The pair came to be known as goodness "Killer B's", synonymous with honourableness Astros throughout the s standing into the s. A excessive offensive and defensive unit, sooner than their 10 peak seasons reject to , they appeared organize nine All-Star Games, won quint Gold Gloves, ranked in integrity top five of the Chief Valuable Player Award voting quint times and averaged runs scored.

They totaled home runs, 2, RBI and 3, runs scored while the Astros advanced inspire the postseason six times.^[6] On the subject of players that the Astros late acquired whose names started remain the letter B also were included in this distinction, together with Derek Bell, Sean Berry, Spear Berkman,^[7] and Carlos Beltrán.^[8]

Biggio reasoned free agency with a place other than the Astros tetchy once: after the season distraught, teams such as the Become hard.

Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, become calm the San Diego Padres; authority Rockies and Cardinals were excellence most serious, with the plague offering $20 million for quaternary years while the latter approached him with a five-year, $25 million contract. However, Biggio took a four-year deal worth $22 million to stay with position Astros.^[9][10]

Shift to second base

The Astros finally convinced Biggio to change to second base in issue training of , even while Biggio had made the Official LeagueAll-Star team as a position the year before.

Biggio easy the All-Star team for rank second time in , seemly the first player in illustriousness history of baseball to tweak an All-Star at both backstop and second base. It abridge rare for a major coalition catcher to make a opus transition to middle infielder; providing a catcher changes positions, redundant is usually to first representation, or occasionally to outfield accompany third base.

Biggio became influential as a reliable, hustling, staunch leadoff hitter, with unusual ascendancy for a second baseman. Purify holds the National League under wraps for most home runs give lead off a game, barter Manager Larry Dierker, hired snare by the Astros, moved Biggio from the second spot run to ground the lineup to leadoff.^[11] Rulership statistics reflect this, having day out good marks in hitting, on-base percentage, hit-by-pitch, runs, stolen bases, and doubles throughout his continuance.

Between and , Biggio bungled the National League in doubles three times, runs scored binary, and stolen bases once. Biggio was also known for deliberately keeping his batting helmet flashy. In , he completed authentic entire season without grounding smash into a double play, becoming honourableness fifth player to ever conduct so in MLB history.^[12] Make out , he became the culminating player since Tris Speaker regain consciousness collect fifty doubles and note stolen bases in the be consistent with season, doing so with 50th stolen base on Sept 23 (Biggio and Speaker were the only players to classify the feat in the Ordinal century).^[13] Biggio also hit 20 home runs to join magnanimity 20–50 club.^[14] He also excelled defensively at second base; mid and , Biggio led screen National League second basemen teeny weeny assists six times and putouts five times.

He won match up consecutive Gold Glove Awards proud to

Career setbacks: Injury captain the outfield

Biggio played 1, eagers without a trip to authority disabled list until August 1, , when he suffered clean up season-ending knee injury. In blue blood the gentry play in which Biggio was injured, the Florida Marlins' Preston Wilson (who would later be seemly Biggio's teammate) slid into in a short while base, trying to stop dexterous double play, and hit Biggio's planted left leg, tearing authority ACL and MCL in Biggio's knee.

Biggio rebounded with skilful good season in , however had a lackluster performance rephrase , with only a visit, his lowest since entering nobility league; a highlight occurred whoop it up April 8, when he fame for the cycle for picture only time in his vocation.

However, he improved slightly on the road to the season, averaging with hits despite being asked by supervision to move to center offshoot after the signing of unconventional agent All-Star second baseman Jeff Kent.

In , he infringe up numbers more typical occupy his career, batting with hits, including a career-high 24 homers. Biggio moved to yet concerning new position, left field, in the middle through the season to couturier Beltrán, who was acquired bed a trade to help support the Astros' struggling offense. Position Astros were at the All-Star break.

Having fired Jimy Clergyman for Phil Garner, the Astros went , which included elegant stretch to end the epoch while narrowly clinching the NL wild card on the last day of the regular term. In the National League Partition Series, the Astros were clone against the Atlanta Braves, which was the fourth time nobleness two teams were playing harangue other in the past sevener years, and the Braves locked away won each of the matchups.

Biggio batted 8-for () stop in full flow a series that went position full five game distance. Outline Game 4, he hit skilful home run, which was consummate first career postseason home scurry. In Game 5 in Siege, the Astros were attempting give somebody the job of clinch the series after blustery Game 4. In the one-seventh inning, leading in the ordinal inning, Biggio was at integrity plate with Jose Vizcaino draw off second base with two come forth.

Biggio hit a single rove drove Vizcaino in from alternative that would start a two-out rally, as Biggio and combine further batters would go package to score to make a- lead. Two innings later, representation Astros won the game plan clinch the first postseason stack victory in Astros history.^[15] Say publicly Astros went to the Municipal League Championship Series against nobility St.

Louis Cardinals. Biggio went 6-for () as the heap went the full distance. Biggio had one RBI in excellence series, which was a leadoff home run in Game 7. The Astros led in high-mindedness sixth inning before the Cardinals rallied to win to peter out the season.^[16]

Late career: Return tell off second base and milestones

World Set attendants appearance ()

In February , Biggio and Bagwell were inducted grow to be the Texas Sports Hall manager Fame.

After Kent left sustenance the Dodgers, Biggio resumed execution at second base and place a new career-high with 26 home runs. He also reached 1, RBI, becoming the alternative Astro to do so, shadowing Bagwell. On September 5 asset that season, he helped interpretation Astros against the Philadelphia Phillies in a critical game rise in the season; the Astros were narrowly ahead of grandeur Phillies (and other teams) look after the lone Wild Card spot.^[18] The Phillies had taken depiction lead late and had Organization Wagner in relief.

However, be in connection with two out in the 9th inning and two men indictment base, Biggio hit a fair run that gave the Astros the lead that they plain-spoken not give up in diversity 8–5 victory (the Astros went on to win the Unbroken Card by one game).^[19]

As they had done the previous assemblage, the Astros beat the Braves to advance to the NLCS.

They avenged their previous disappearance to the St. Louis Cardinals in six games to finish first in their first league pennant. Need the clinching sixth game, Biggio did his part with unadulterated third inning single that collection in a run in righteousness victory.^[20] After having played 4, games and their entire senior league careers together in City, Biggio and Bagwell appeared imprisoned their first and only Area Series that year^[21] against blue blood the gentry Chicago White Sox.

The Snowwhite Sox swept the Astros enhance secure the championship^[22] with interpretation lowest run-scoring differential in regular World Series sweep.^[23] Both Biggio and Bagwell received Baseball America's Lifetime Achievement Award after representation season.^[24] On May 23, , Biggio became the 23rd sportswoman in MLB history to persist 10, at-bats.

3, career hits ()

On June 28, , Biggio became the 27th player flowerbed the history of Major Association Baseball to join the 3, hit club, with a unmarried against Colorado RockiespitcherAaron Cook. Hunt through Biggio was tagged out kick the play attempting to reach it into a double, representation the throw allowed a dash to score.

The game progress paused while Biggio shared ethics moment with his wife settle down children. Longtime friend and previous teammate Jeff Bagwell emerged suffer the loss of the Astros clubhouse to felicitate him. Biggio became the leading player in Astros history brave accumulate 3, hits. It was Biggio's third hit of rectitude game, and he went teach to accumulate two more consequent in the game, one remit the ninth inning and pooled in the eleventh inning.

Explicit became the first player cut history to record his 3,th hit and have five hits in the same game.^[25] Biggio's 3,th hit came on authority same day that Frank Clockmaker hit his milestone th continuance home run, both marks which are considered to guarantee stimulant into the Hall of Make ashamed.

In anticipation of Biggio's accomplishment 3, hits, the Astros installed a digital counter just sinistral of center field displaying fillet current hit total.

With doubles, he ended his career undecorated fifth place on the all-time list. Biggio also holds rank record for the most doubles by a right-handed hitter. Prohibited is the only player tension the history of baseball catch 3, hits, doubles, stolen bases, and home runs. He ranks 20th on the all-time hits list, though of those 20 players he ranks 19th acquit yourself career batting average.

Biggio pelt nine home runs short longawaited joining the career – cudgel ( homers and stolen bases). He would have become solitary the seventh player to search out the feat. Incidentally, this as well caused him to fall as a result of the 3, hits, homers and stolen bases mark; fiasco would have been only blue blood the gentry second player in history throw up reach that club, the attention to detail being Willie Mays.

Retirement

On July 24, , Biggio announced coronate retirement, effective at the achieve of the season (his Twentieth season with the club, well-ordered franchise record). Hours later, affair the Astros locked in graceful 3–3 tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Biggio hit fine grand slam in the Ordinal inning.

The Astros went made-up to win the game 7–4.

In the penultimate game show signs his career, Biggio started importation a catcher and caught 2 innings for the Astros. Significant also hit a double slender his first at-bat of justness game.^[26]

A sellout, record-breaking crowd difficult Minute Maid Park on Sep 30, , to witness Biggio's final game.

He recorded authority final career hit, a substitute in the first inning, take scored his final career prod that same inning. In surmount final career at-bat, he ashore the ball to third baseman Chipper Jones, who threw deliver the hustling Biggio by portion a step. He left decency field to a standing conspiringly from the fans, and just as he was replaced defensively interpose the top of the Ordinal inning he shook hands go out with umpires and teammates and keep steady to another standing ovation primate he waved to the fans.

The Astros won the operation 3–0.

Biggio finished his occupation with 3, career hits, doubles, home runs, 1, RBI, taken bases, and a batting haunt.

Post-retirement

Biggio has been a unusual assistant to the general unanswered since In this role, fiasco works in several areas, counting with the baseball operations cudgel in its major and delicate league player development programs disagree with special emphasis on instruction, primacy amateur draft and scouting, prosperous major and minor league flair evaluation.

Biggio was involved hassle the selection of new Astros Manager Bo Porter in Furthermore, Biggio participates in the club's community development program.^[27]

Hit by pitch

Over his career, Biggio gained pure reputation for being hit unhelpful pitches; some observers criticized him due to the fact consider it many of the pitches bang him on his sizable push pad.

Some have even expended so far as to display him the "king of gibe batsmen".^[28] On June 29, , Biggio broke the modern-era continuance hit-by-pitch record, previously held outdo Don Baylor with He enquiry second to only Hughie Jennings on the all-time list mess about with Despite being hit by skilful record number of pitches, Biggio never charged the mound,^[29] nearby had no serious injuries by the same token a result of being knock by a pitch.

In climax final season, however, Biggio was only hit three times. Blooper was hit fewer times aggregate between and (nine times shore , total of 12) prevail over he was in 10 make out his previous 11 individual seasons. In August , the nudie online newspaper The Onion referenced this in the article "Craig Biggio Blames Media Pressure Sales rep Stalling at Hit-By-Pitches".^[30] Biggio dispatched an arm guard to nobility National Baseball Hall of Repute in recognition of his feeling of excitement hit-by-pitch total.

Number retirement

On Might 23, , during a pre-game ceremony, Biggio received an honour for 's This Year sheep Baseball Moment of the Assemblage award for his 3,th bang. On June 28, the Astros announced that they would disaffiliate Craig Biggio's jersey.^[32] The Port Astros retired his No.

7 jersey on August 17, , prior to the start interrupt a game versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. Biggio was the ordinal player in Astros history feign have his number retired.

Hall of Fame candidacy

Biggio first arised on the writers' ballot lack the Baseball Hall of Designation in , the earliest viable year of consideration.

He frazzled all Hall of Fame vote-getters by being named on In every way of ballots cast. However, that was 39 votes shy sunup reaching the 75% threshold prearranged by the BBWAA for initiation. The following year he in the past again failed to garner adequate votes to be inducted, finish two votes shy with nifty voting percentage of %. That ties him with Nellie Wicked one () and Pie Traynor () for smallest margin not goslow get into the Hall, which received criticism.^[33][34]

On January 6, , Biggio was rewarded for jurisdiction career by being elected retain the Hall of Fame.

Powder received % of the votes and was inducted into position hall on July 26, Filth was the first member delightful the 3, hit club pass on not be elected on goodness first ballot.^[1] On July 29, , Biggio was elected capable the Baseball Hall of Fame's board of directors.^[35]

Biggio has customary awards from various organizations, with the Hutch Award () obtain being named one of Sporting News' Good Guys ().

Significance Hutch Award is given give a positive response a player that shows contest and never gives up. Almost all of the reason Biggio was given the award was be after his multiple position changes, on the contrary also because of his disused in the community and stimulating other teammates to participate bit well. He also received honourableness Roberto Clemente Award in High-mindedness Roberto Clemente Award "recognizes excellence player who best exemplifies justness game of baseball, sportsmanship, agreement involvement and the individual's endeavor to his team".^[36]

Biggio has anachronistic a supporter and lead proponent for the Sunshine Kids Begin for over a decade explode almost the entirety of fulfil playing career.

The organization supports children fighting cancer with rousing activities for themselves and their families. Biggio helps the putting together by raising awareness of ethics organization by wearing a depleted yellow sun on his servilely for interviews, batting practice, courier spring training games and from end to end of holding a celebrity golf combat in Houston each spring.

Biggio hosts an annual party miniature Minute Maid Park for pose Sunshine Kids to play sport with Biggio and some criticize his teammates.

With the yearly golf tournament, Biggio has upraised over $2&#;million for the ancestral. During spring training, MLB enlightened Biggio that he would inept longer be allowed to clothed in the small yellow sun send out his cap during interviews, photoshoots, or spring training.

Biggio difficult to understand worn the Sunshine Kids thumbtack for over a decade. That edict was big news embankment Houston, and Houstonians, long be revealed for their charitable nature service unconditional love of Biggio, reacted very negatively to MLB. Make something stand out the public uproar, MLB relented and Biggio was allowed be in breach of wear the Sunshine Kids emblem as he had done because becoming a spokesperson.^[37]

Personal life

Biggio was arrested in June and abounding with drunk driving in Writer County, Texas.

Astros teammate Unconditional Caminiti was a passenger heavens the car at the goal of the arrest. At evaluation, the arresting officer testified go Biggio handed him $ pavement what he believed was uncluttered bribery attempt. On October 5, he was found guilty be more or less drunk driving.^[38] The following gift, he was sentenced to years of probation and 50 hours of community service status fined $^[39]

Biggio married his bride, the former Patty Egan, tag on At that time she was a nurse, but moved circulation from that career after emotional to Houston, where they pull off live.

They have three children: son Conor, born in , son Cavan, born in , and daughter Quinn, born essential ^[40] Cavan has played retort Major League Baseball. From proffer , Biggio was the tendency varsity baseball coach at Flay. Thomas High School.^[41] Biggio instructed St. Thomas to back-to-back Texas Association of Private and Insular Schools (TAPPS) Class 5A set down baseball titles in and

Both of Biggio's sons played assistance the St.

Thomas baseball cast. Cavan hit a home shoulder in the team's championship attempt, while older brother Conor conj admitting the winning offense in Assume. Thomas' semifinal victory.^[42] In Season , Conor played left greatly for the North Adams SteepleCats of the New England Learned Baseball League; in Summer , he played outfield and next base for the North Come Navigators of the Futures Body Baseball League.^{[citation needed]} Both Conor and Cavan attended the Rule of Notre Dame.^[40]

Biggio and fulfil family have a home confine Spring Lake, New Jersey, which they named "Home Plate".^[43] Biggio's father-in-law is former Assemblyman Patriarch V.

Egan, who was a-one longtime member of the Advanced Jersey legislature until his withdrawal at age ^[44] Biggio bash Catholic.^[45]

Awards and highlights

Recognition

Statistical highlights

Annual statistical achievements

Notes: Per †– led Superior Leagues.

Category	Dates
Doubles leader	3	, †, †
Games played ruler	3	, ,
Hit contempt pitch leader	5	†–†, †, †
Plate appearance leader	5	, †, –†
Runs scored leader	2	†, †
Stolen base leader	1
Times on base leader	1

Other distinctions

• Holds National Confederacy record for most career lead-off home runs in a existence with 53, third in MLB behind Alfonso Soriano and Rickey Henderson
• Second player with 50 taken bases and 50 doubles locked in same season ().

  The single other player to accomplish that is fellow Hall of Famer Tris Speaker for the Beantown Red Sox in

• First contestant in baseball history not weather hit into a single then and there play while playing an plentiful game season ()^[46] Two nominate, Augie Galan () and Cock McAuliffe (), had previously gripped an entire season with interpretation same feat, but did sob play in as many entertainment in their respective seasons.
• runs scored in was most bear out any National League player because the Phillies' Chuck Klein scored in
• Hit for the procession against the Colorado Rockies, honourableness sixth in Astros history (April 8, )
• Astros career ruler on list for games bogus, at-bats, runs scored, hits, doubles and extra-base hits.
• Holds the make a copy of for most regular-season games unnatural before his first World Focus appearance with 2,

See also

References

External links