Biggio Says Good-bye

A friend went to Biggio's last game on Sunday and here's what he had to say:

I was at the Houston Astros game today. The last of the season, and the last in the career of second baseman Craig Biggio. It was an afternoon game, so there was something left of the day after our 3-0 win over the Atlanta Braves. I've had the chance to watch two episodes of Sportscenter, plus the sports coverage on the national news (even the baseball section of America Online when I logged on to write this E-mail) and... not one mention of Craig Biggio.

Maybe Craig's name doesn't sound familiar to you. I really don't know if he gets much notice outside baseball players and the fans in Houston. Let me tell you a little something about him. First, his stats:

-Fifth all-time (1st all-time for right-handed batters) with 668 doubles (after Tris Speaker, Pete Rose, Stan Musial and Ty Cobb)

-13th all-time in runs scored with 1842

-20th all-time in hits with 3060 (only 27 players in history to ever get to 3000)

-Led the majors in runs scored in 1995 and 1997 and in doubles in 1998 and 1999.

-In 1997, scored 146 runs, which is the most of any National League player since the Phillies' Chuck Klein scored 152 runs in 1932.

-In 1998 became the second player to have 50 stolen bases and 50 doubles in the same season. The only other person to accomplish this is Tris Speaker.

-Holds the National League record for most lead-off home runs in a career with 53. He is 2nd in MLB behind Rickey Henderson (81).
In 1997, became the first player in baseball history not to hit into a single double play while playing an entire 162 game season. Two players, Augie Galan (1935) and Dick McAuliffe (1968), had previously played an entire season with the same feat, but did not play in as many games in their respective seasons.

-7 time National League All-star team (1991, 1992, 1994-1998)
-4 time National League Gold Glove (2nd Base) (1994-1997)

-4 time National League Silver Slugger (1989, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998)

-Craig Biggio is the only player in the history of baseball with 3000 hits, 600 doubles, 400 stolen bases, and 250 home runs.

-Biggio is the only player in Major League history who has made the All-star game as a catcher and then later another field position.

-He is also 2nd all-time in being hit by pitch (HBP) (due to his close-to-the-plate stance, and the fact that he used to lift his front foot when he swung making it hard to move out of the way of errant pitches) with 285. Hughie Jennings record of 287 has stood for 104 years.

Now... every player with 3000 hits that has been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 1962 has made it on the first ballot, so that alone should assure a place in Cooperstown for Craig Biggio. Why I'm a little disappointed that his retirement seems to have attracted so little notice is less for his playing statistics than his conduct.

In this age of media fascination with dysfunctional celebrities and criminals, and a time when professional sports seems to be more about contract disagreements, scandals, steroids and free-agents willing to go anywhere for a couple dollars more, Craig Biggio had some equally (if not more) impressive stats.

-Played his entire 20 year career with the same team (Houston)

-He was known for never missing church on Sunday, even when the team was on the road.

-Though having been hit by more pitches than most catchers mitts, he has never charged the mound. (He simply picked himself up, headed for first, and observed his own personal rule to "Never, never rub the spot where they hit you")

-Craig Biggio has been a supporter and lead spokesperson for the Sunshine Kids Foundation for over a decade and almost the entirety of his playing career. The organization supports children fighting cancer with exciting activities for themselves and their families.

-Craig was honored by the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 21st, when the Pirates retired Paul Waner's number. As the ceremony for Waner wrapped up, Pirates Announcer Lanny Frattare honored Biggio, and received a standing ovation from the crowd at PNC Park.

-Biggio was honored by the Atlanta Braves during the 10th inning in a game played at Atlanta on August 2, 2007. Craig was shown to be very emotional during the video tribute to him and the positive response from the fans.

-On September 22, 2007 Craig was saluted by the St. Louis Cardinals in a pre-game ceremony at Busch Stadium where he was given a standing ovation by the crowd and was presented with a check for $3,053(representing the amount of hits Biggio had at that point) to be donated to The Sunshine Kids.

-And today, September 30, 2007, for a game that for any baseball purpose was completely meaningless (we'd been eliminated from playoff contention some time ago), a new attendance record was set at MinuteMaid Park (even higher than the 2005 World Series games) for Craig's last game.

So... I'm sorry if you found all that a little boring. Maybe you're not a baseball fan, and maybe you've never heard of our second baseman. Since the networks are busy with Lindsey Lohan's or Brittany Spear's latest drug rehab, I just thought that, even if only for as long as it's taken to read this E-mail, we might take just a moment to celebrate a guy that played the game in a way that should make us proud.