B. J. Surhoff

Last updated

B. J. Surhoff
B.J. Surhoff.jpg
Left fielder / Catcher / Third baseman
Born: (1964-08-04) August 4, 1964 (age 59)
Bronx, New York, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 8, 1987, for the Milwaukee Brewers
Last MLB appearance
October 2, 2005, for the Baltimore Orioles
Men's baseball
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1984 Los Angeles Team
Intercontinental Cup
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1983 Brussels Team
Pan American Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1983 Caracas Team

William James"B. J."Surhoff (born August 4, 1964) is an American former catcher, outfielder, first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter in Major League Baseball (MLB). Over his 18-year MLB career, he played every position except pitcher. After playing for the Orioles from 1996 to 2000, he rejoined the team in 2003 and played through the 2005 season. He started his career with the Milwaukee Brewers (1987–1995) and also played for the Atlanta Braves (2000–2002). Surhoff began his career as a catcher, and after playing third base in the mid-1990s, shifted to become primarily a left fielder. Surhoff was the first-overall pick in the 1985 MLB Draft.

Contents

Baseball career

Born in the Bronx, Surhoff attended Rye High School in Westchester, New York. After high school he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1983, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. [1] Surhoff was honored as the 1985 ACC Male Athlete of the Year, and played on the first (1984) U.S. Olympic baseball team. He was a two-time first team All-American at UNC and his career batting average of .392 was a school record until Dustin Ackley set the mark at .412 in 2009. [2]

Surhoff was selected by the Brewers with the first overall pick of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft. He was a versatile player, having appeared at every position except pitcher over the course of his career. He had 2,326 hits, 188 home runs and 1,153 runs batted in during his career. Although always a consistent hitter, having hit over .280 in 12 of his 19 seasons, Surhoff's finest season was his 1999 campaign with the Orioles, in which he led the American League in at-bats (673), ranked second in hits (207), was selected to the American League All-Star team, and ultimately won Most Valuable Oriole honors for the season, becoming one of five players to get 200 or more hits in a season for the team. He also participated in the Home Run Derby. In other notable seasons, he finished sixth in the AL in doubles in 1993 with the Brewers and finished fifth in batting average in the AL with the Brewers in 1995 with a .320 average.

In 2007, Surhoff was elected to the Orioles Hall of Fame, with the official induction ceremony occurring before the start of the Orioles–Twins game on August 25, 2007, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Personal life

Surhoff's father Dick played two years in the NBA in 1952–1953 and 1953–1954 and his brother Rich appeared in nine games in 1985 as a relief pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Texas Rangers. He also has a brother named Mark who lives in Rye, New York. His son, Austin, swam at the University of Texas and won the 200 individual medley and 200 backstroke at the 2010 Big 12 Championships. [3] Then he won the 200 Individual Medley national title a month later.

Surhoff lives in Cockeysville, Maryland, with his wife Polly and their four children. He is the president of Pathfinders for Autism, a Hunt Valley support group for families with autistic children. Surhoff's son, Mason, is autistic. [4]

Surhoff is the uncle of former UNC third-team All-American pitcher Brian Moran, and former Astro third baseman/outfielder Colin Moran. [5] [6] In 2008, 2009 and 2012 Surhoff was a spring training instructor for the Baltimore Orioles. [7] [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Clark</span> American baseball player (born 1964)

William Nuschler Clark Jr. is an American professional baseball first baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 through 2000. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals. Clark was known by the nickname of "Will the Thrill." The nickname has often been truncated to simply, "the Thrill."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Bigbie</span> American baseball player (born 1977)

Larry Robert Bigbie is an American former professional baseball first baseman and outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball from 2001 through 2006 for the Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, and St. Louis Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrek Lee</span> American baseball player (born 1975)

Derrek Leon Lee, nicknamed "D-Lee", is an American former professional baseball first baseman. Lee played with the San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. J. Hardy</span> American baseball player (born 1982)

James Jerry Hardy is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and Baltimore Orioles. Hardy attended Sabino High School in Tanque Verde, Arizona, where he was an All-State selection from 1999 to 2001 and an All-American selection in 2001. Hardy was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Ripken</span> American baseball player (born 1964)

William Oliver Ripken, nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987–1998 for the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians (1995), and Detroit Tigers (1998). During his career, he batted and threw right-handed. He is the younger brother of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. He currently serves as a radio host for XM Satellite Radio and a studio analyst for MLB Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Hairston Jr.</span> American baseball player (born 1976)

Jerry Wayne Hairston Jr. is an American former professional baseball infielder and outfielder. He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He played every position except pitcher and catcher during his baseball career. He is the grandson of former major leaguer Sam Hairston, the son of former major leaguer Jerry Hairston Sr., and the brother of Scott Hairston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Hill (baseball)</span> American baseball player (born 1982)

Aaron Walter Hill is an American former professional baseball second baseman. Hill played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Murton</span> American baseball player (born 1981)

Matthew Henry Murton is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and Colorado Rockies. Murton also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee May</span> American baseball player (1943-2017)

Lee Andrew May was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and designated hitter from 1965 to 1982 for the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Kansas City Royals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Bumbry</span> American baseball player (born 1947)

Alonza Benjamin Bumbry is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played for the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres from 1972 through 1985. Bumbry was the 1973 American League Rookie of the Year, and went on to be an All-Star and World Series champion. He is an inductee of the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. Prior to his major league career, Bumbry served in the US Army during the Vietnam War and was awarded a Bronze Star.

Mark Edward Smith is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins, Montreal Expos, and Milwaukee Brewers. Smith also played for the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), and the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Fontenot</span> American baseball player (born 1980)

Michael Eugene Fontenot Jr. is an American former professional baseball infielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, and Philadelphia Phillies. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Fontenot was commonly used at second base, shortstop, or third base during his career. He won a World Series with the Giants in 2010.

Charles Patrick Greene is an American former professional baseball catcher who is the bullpen coach for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Greene played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with four different teams from 1996 through 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Reynolds (baseball)</span> American baseball player (born 1983)

Mark Andrew Reynolds is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, and two stints with the Colorado Rockies. A right-hander both when batting and throwing, Reynolds was known for his frequent and long home runs, high strikeout totals, and defensive versatility, having been primarily a third baseman before transitioning to first base while playing for the Orioles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Stanicek</span> American baseball player

Stephen Blair Stanicek is an American former Major League Baseball player. He played parts of two seasons in the majors, 1987 for the Milwaukee Brewers and 1989 for the Philadelphia Phillies. He played 13 games, twelve as a pinch hitter and one as a designated hitter. He was primarily a first baseman in his professional career, but never played the field in the major leagues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manny Machado</span> American baseball player (born 1992)

Manuel Arturo Machado is an American professional baseball third baseman and shortstop for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). Very highly recruited from an early age, he was raised in Miami, where he attended Brito High School and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the third overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft. He bats and throws right-handed. He has played for the Dominican Republic national baseball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wade Miley</span> American baseball player (born 1986)

Wade Allen Miley is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago Cubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Moran</span> American baseball player (born 1992)

Colin Richard Moran is an American professional baseball third baseman for the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Schoop</span> Curaçaoan baseball player (born 1991)

Jonathan Rufino Jezus Schoop is a Curaçaoan professional baseball second baseman for the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and Detroit Tigers. He was an All-Star in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Severino</span> Dominican baseball player (born 1993)

Pedro Severino De León is a Dominican professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers.

References

  1. ↑ "WAREHAM GATEMEN ALUMNI" (PDF). gatemen.org. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  2. ↑ Adam Lucas (February 3, 2002). "Tar Heel Monthly: Catching Up B. J. Surhoff". Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Feigen, Surhoff earn NCAA automatic-qualifying marks at Big 12 Championships". February 25, 2010. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  4. ↑ The Toy Department: Catching Up With ... former Oriole B. J. Surhoff – Baltimore sports: Ravens, Orioles, Terps blog by Baltimore Sun reporters – baltimoresun.com
  5. ↑ "Player Bio: Brian Moran". Archived from the original on April 1, 2009. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Player Bio: Colin Moran". Archived from the original on March 9, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  7. ↑ Sports Illustrated, August 2, 2010, Where are they Now?, p.86, Published by Time Inc.
  8. ↑ "MASN Sport, School of Roch: Late-inning intrigue" . Retrieved February 13, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.