Product Description
Chapters: Craig Biggio, Mo Vaughn, John Valentin. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 29. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Craig Alan Biggio (born December 14, 1965 in Smithtown, New York) is a former Major League Baseball player who played his entire career with the Houston Astros. He ranks 20th all-time with 3,060 career hits, and is the ninth player in the 3000 hit club to get all his hits with the same team. He is now the head varsity baseball coach for St. Thomas High School in Houston, Texas. Craig Biggio graduated from Kings Park High School on Long Island, New York, where he excelled as a multi-sport varsity athlete. Most notably, after the 1983 season, Biggio was awarded the Hansen Award, which recognized him as being the best football player in Suffolk County. However, Biggio's passion lay with baseball, such that he turned down football scholarships for the opportunity to play baseball for Seton Hall University. An infielder in school, Biggio switched to catcher at Seton Hall University because his team needed one. Biggio was an All-American baseball player at Seton Hall, where he played with other future Major League Baseball stars Mo Vaughn and John Valentin. Biggio, Vaughn and Valentin, along with Marteese Robinson, were featured in the book The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth by David Siroty which chronicled their rise from college teammates to the major leagues. Biggio was drafted by the Houston Astros in the first round (22nd overall) in 1987. Biggio was called up as a catcher midway through the 1988 season, having batted .344 in his minor league career. In 1989, his first full season, Biggio became the Astros' starting catcher. He won the Silver Slugger award in 1989. Biggio was a very speedy runner, and an adept base stealer. Astros' management, in an attempt t...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=419570 ... Read more

Product Description
This title traces the baseball lives of Craig Biggio, Mo Vaughn, John Valentin, and Marteese Robinson, from the playgrounds through college ball to the big leagues, revealing a fascinating and personal account of four routs to the same destination and dream. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An easy read
So many times have I heard stories about career(or dream)-ending injuries and knew it wasn't as mellow to them as they made it seem.It was nice to see Robinson rewarded with the HOF(Seton Hall) in the end.Biggio was destined for greatness, Valentin was better than I thought he was, and Vaughn was a monster from the start.They all have some facinating human stories that make it hard to look at them the same.

A very fine read -- especially for baseball fans
The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth by sports writer David Siroty is an involved and involving study of the lives of Craig Biggio, Mo Vaughn, and John Valentin, three renowned baseball players, each of whom earned MVP honors, Gold Gloves, and more, -- as well as the life of Marteese Robinson, a friend and college teammate of the three men who was left behind from the professional baseball world. Robinson would eventually find a way to join his friends; just not a way that any of them expected. The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth is an engaging tale, featuring an aside with a quotable quote from the men it spotlights on almost every page, as well as an inset section of black-and-white photographs. The Hit Men And The Kid Who Batted Ninth is a very fine read -- especially for baseball fans.

A must read for any baseball fan
Maybe I'm a bit biased since two of the four players profiled in this book are now Mets, but I really enjoyed their stories. Siroty takes you from their childhoods through college, to the minor leagues and the majors. Every player has a different path, and not all of them have the traditional happy endings. Every page mentions a new player whose name you'll recognize - I always wondered how every baseball player seemed to know each other, even if their teams never competed. You'll love this book if you love baseball - because it really shows the players' passion for the game.

Wish I was there!
David Siroty writes a factually accurrate account of the Hit Men from Seton Hall.As a former Pirate player, I spent some time with these guys and they were all good guys and had one distinguishing trait in common; they all had the burning desire to play the great game of baseball.Excellent job by Siroty telling a great story about the greatest game on the face of the earth.
Brought back good memories.Wish I was there!
Can't wait to bring my son to Mike Sheppard's Basball Camp...keep the hustle.
PS:Marteese Robinson was one of the nicest guys in our high school, SHP. ... Read more