Born February 10, 1976, Lance Berkman is a former professional baseball player. During his Major League Baseball career, he played 15 seasons in teams such as St. Louis Cardinals. Berkman has played as a first baseman and an outfielder.
Measuring 6’1” and weighing 220lbs, he won a World Series in 2011 and retired in 2013. Read this article to know more about his amazing career.
From a standout to “Killer B’s”
BHe started as a standout player at Canyon High School. At Rice, he played for the Owls where he shone as an outstanding player. In 1997, he was named National College Player. The same year, he was picked up by the Astros in the amateur draft.
In 1999, when he played for the first time in some major leagues; he also joined the Astro’s famous Killer B’s lineup.
Crowning Sucess
In 2010, the Astros traded him to the New York Yankees. In 2011, this prodigy went over to St. Louis Cardinals as a free agent where he continued until the end of 2012.
At Cardinals he attained fame and fortune; he was a key player in winning the 2011World Series. He had hit a game-tying single in Game 6 that fetched his team the World Series Championship.
Charity Work
He is also a great soul. Every Saturday before the home game, he meets 50 underprivileged for autographs and other gifts. This bunch of kids goes by the name “Berkman’s Bunch”.
In 2013, moved by a fire tragedy, Berkman purchased a fire truck and gifted it to the City of West, Texas. In 2012, Forbes included him in a list of 30 most generous celebrities.
Career Achievements of Lance Berkman
He has been a National League Champion twice, once in 2005 and the other in 2011. In 2011, he was a part of the World Series Champion team. He was inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame in 2009.
Berkman has been an All-Star Player in MLB 6 times: 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2011. He also won the Comeback Player Award from 4 different sports bodies.
Career Stats
He has posted a mind-boggling batting average of 293. This score has been accumulated over 15 seasons and 1,879 games.
This batting average has come from 422 doubles, 1,146 runs, 366 home runs, 30 triples, 86 stolen bases, 1,201 bases on balls, and 1,234 Runs Batted In or RBI. His fielding average is an incredible 0.991 playing at first base and three outfield positions.
Lance Berkman’s personal life
These days, he lives with his wife Cara and their 4 daughters in Houston, Texas. He is an outspoken supporter of Christianity and Jesus Christ and uses his influence to propagate Christian thoughts.
A few years back, he and his wife donated more than $2 million to a Christian charity called Lord’s Fund. Berkman has been a critic of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance that seeks to protect LGBTs.
His nicknames Fate Elvis and Big Puma. In a 2006 interview to a Texas radio station, he told his listeners that he quite agreed with the word puma as it meant speed, agility, and sleekness. As he became more popular, this sobriquet became popular at the national level also.
During his association with the Astros, people could see his fans wearing Puma merchandise and calling themselves Little Pumas.
FAQs
Yes, he was put on the hall of fame in 2013, the same year he decided to retire from his professional career.
Rice University, Houston Texas, USA
It is always difficult to exactly pinpoint the net worth of famous baseball players but it’s estimated that he has a net worth of around $60m.