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Lance Berkman

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Submitted By Robby19
Words 1051
Pages 5
Robby Walker
English 100
11/15/15

Lance Berkman

Lance Berkman is my idol. In my opinion he is one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He played for the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Yankees. He has the most home runs by a switch hitter in Major League Baseball History. A switch hitter is someone who can hit from the right and left side of the plate. Berkman was well known for being a class act and a stand up gut in the Houston community. He now coaches for a baseball team in Houston, which is a branch off of my Major Kinesiology. Kinesiology is a huge, broad field you can do so many things off of this major, such as, Coach, Therapists, and teacher. Lance Berkman started his career late and that’s because he played in the Major League for 13 seasons. Now, he is in my field of study and he coaches and teaches now. Berkman played baseball at Canyon High School, Berkman then attended Rice University, where he played college baseball for the Rice Owls. He was named the 1997 National College Player of the Year. The Houston Astros selected Berkman in the first round of the 1997 MLB Draft, and he debuted in MLB for the Astros in 1999. Berkman was one of the Astros' "Killer B's" in the mid-2000s, along with Jeff Bagwell, Carlos Beltran, Craig Biggio, and Derek Bell. The Astros traded Berkman to the Yankees at the 2010 trade deadline. He spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Cardinals, and the 2013 season with the Rangers, then he decided to retire. He soon signed a one day contract with Houston to officially retire as an Astro. Berkman is a six-time MLB All-Star. He won the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2011.

In 2001, Lance began leading a charity called Berkman's Bunch where 50 underprivileged kids could meet Berkman before each Saturday home game for autographs and other gifts. In April 2012, Forbes named Berkman one of the 30 most generous celebrities as he and his wife had donated $2,412,245 to a foundation they established called To the Lord’s Fund. In 2013, Berkman purchased a fire truck and had it driven by the City of Arlington. He then donated it to the City of West, Texas, in the tragedy of the West Fertilizer Company explosion that took place earlier in the year. The fire truck is white with a red cross on the doors and the name Lance over the cross with his number 27 encircled within the cross.

In 2009, Berkman stated that after his major league career he would like to coach baseball at the University of Texas at Austin even though he attended Rice University. Since he didn't finish his degree at Rice, he would need to return to school and complete three more semesters to earn a Kinesiology degree with a minor in sports management. With Berkman's retirement in 2014, however, it is at his alma mater, Rice, that the former Owl has spent time assisting young hitters. Rice Coach Wayne Graham has made clear that Rice would be interested stating that “it sounds like he wants to coach. Hopefully at one time or another it will be here. We’ll manage to always find a place for him.” So, Berkman went on to coach at Clear Falls High School waiting to get a call from Rice. Berkman has coach at Clear Falls High School for 2 years now and they have only lost 3 games in that time. Two of those losses were in the Texas High School Baseball Playoffs. Which is quite the accomplishment when you come out of the District 24-6A. 24-6A is one of the best football and baseball districts in Texas. In my own opinion, it is the best, but that’s besides the matter. I have always looked up to Lance Berkman. Ever since I was a kid he has been my favorite sports player. To this day you can ask my parents and they will tell you Lance Berkman. So, for him to coach in my district and for me to play against him and his baseball team twice a year was serial to me. Lance Berkman just recently had his number retired by the Houston Astros. This is such a huge accomplishment, this means no one can ever wear the number 17 for the Houston Astros ever again. Lance owns all the Astros switch hitter records possible. Which makes him one of the elite ever to play the game. Besides all his on the field accomplishments, he is a class act kind of guy. He was such a sportsman. Not once has Berkman been ejected from a game, which is another huge accomplishment.

Lance and his wife, Cara, live in Houston with their four daughters. Lance has been very outspoken about his Christian beliefs throughout his career. Berkman uses his position as a professional athlete to discuss his beliefs with others. He told The 700 Club in May 2007, "What you’re running after, what you’re trying to find will not provide you with any lasting fulfillment. The only place you can find that is Jesus Christ. It’s in the service of God you’ll find that lasting fulfillment.” Berkman has always shown his faith. Which I love about him.

Throughout his life no matter how big he got or how famous he got he was always helping the community. If there is anyone I want to be like. It is Berkman. Berkman throughout his career has shown what exactly you want to be or do when you study kinesiology. Berkman went from a rookie, to all-star, to veteran, and now he has used his education to continue his career after baseball. Which goes to show that you will always need education to survive. Lance made over 300 million dollars in his career, but yet he continues to work because he knows that he stills needs to work. My dad always said “uses football as a way to get your education” Berkman used this motto perfectly. Only as baseball instead of football. Kinesiology is a broad field and Berkman stands for that all the way.

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