| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Former Houston Astro Craig Biggio is being inducted |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | 2015, and this honor provides fitting recognition for an athlete |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | who proved himself one of the best players of his era; and |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Born on December 14, 1965, in Smithtown, New York, |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | Mr. Biggio was a multisport star at Kings Park High School; |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | recruited by a number of college programs for his skills as a |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | football player, he instead chose to pursue his passion for |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | baseball at Seton Hall University; he earned All-American |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | recognition while playing for the Pirates, and he was subsequently |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | chosen by the Houston Astros in the first round of the Major League |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | Baseball draft in 1987; and |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, This versatile player made his major league debut in |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | 1988, after a short but successful stint in the Astros' minor league |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | system; he won the starting catcher spot the next year, and he |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | earned the first of a club-record seven selections to the All-Star |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | Game in 1991; he switched to second base the following season, and |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | he logged more than a decade at that position in addition to playing |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | both center field and left field for Houston; and |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Over the course of his exemplary 20-year tenure, |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | Mr. Biggio compiled a .281 batting average, 3,060 hits, 291 home |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | runs, and 1,175 runs batted in; his 668 career doubles are more than |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | any other right-handed batter in major league history, and he is the |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | only player to ever realize the impressive combination of tallying |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | 600 doubles, 250 home runs, 2,700 hits, and 400 stolen bases; his |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | myriad professional achievements also include winning four Gold |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | Glove Awards and five Silver Slugger Awards; and |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Always a fan favorite, Mr. Biggio endeared himself |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | to the Astros' faithful with his hustling style of play as well as |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | the intentionally dirty batting helmet he wore to the plate; he was |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | an opening day starter for Houston for 19 consecutive seasons, and |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | along with such teammates as Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman, he was |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | one of the beloved "Killer Bs" who paced the Houston attack in the |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | 1990s and 2000s; and |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Biggio was an integral part of the 2005 squad |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | that reached the World Series, making the franchise's first and |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | only appearance to date in the Fall Classic; another highlight of |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | his career came in his final season, when he slugged his 3,000th |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | career hit against the Colorado Rockies on June 28, 2007; and |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | WHEREAS, A player who demonstrated outstanding skill and |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | gritty determination on the baseball diamond over the course of two |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | decades, Craig Biggio may take justifiable pride in his remarkable |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | accomplishments, and he is indeed deserving of this prestigious |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | hall of fame honor; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|---|
| 50 | 51 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Craig Biggio on his induction into |
|---|
| 51 | 52 | | the National Baseball Hall of Fame and extend to him sincere best |
|---|
| 52 | 53 | | wishes for the future; and, be it further |
|---|
| 53 | 54 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 54 | 55 | | prepared for Mr. Biggio as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|---|
| 55 | 56 | | House of Representatives. |
|---|