Craig Biggio 'Hustled' His Way to the Hall of Fame

July 26, 2015

By John Fanta, SHUPirates.com

COOPERSTOWN, NY -- "From Hall to Hall" has officially become a reality.

On a hot and humid Sunday afternoon at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the thousands of fans kept chanting one, three-syllable last name throughout the annual induction ceremony in Cooperstown.

Big-gi-o. Big-gi-o. Big-gi-o.

It was constant, coming from fans in Pirate blue and Houston Astros orange.

Craig Biggio has officially earned baseball's highest distinction, completing a legendary journey that featured a versatility unlike any other player in his time.

Following two standing ovations, one as he sat down at the start of the ceremony and the other coming as he went up to speak, Biggio shared his life story with the crowd.

While many of the the thousands present in Cooperstown on Sunday knew him as a member of the 3,000-hit club and an All-Star catcher and second baseman, Biggio spoke about his road to the Major Leagues and how he ultimately reached the Hall of Fame.

"So the big question is, 'How do you get to the Hall of Fame?'" Biggio said. "You have to have a little bit of talent, and a lot of help along the way."

A graduate of Kings Park High School, located on New York's Long Island, Biggio had the opportunity to become a professional out of high school when the Detroit Tigers were highly interested in him.

The decision to play college baseball led him to Seton Hall, and that's where Biggio says he learned a skill that helped him to always play the game the right way.

He learned the phrase "Never Lose Your Hustle" from the legendary Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Famer Mike Sheppard, Sr, and it's what Biggio says he took with him going into his pro career.

"He was a tough man and a marine," said Biggio of 'Shep.' "He was a disciplinarian and he always kept his players in line. Most of all, though, he loved his players and he had their backs no matter what. I'm very grateful to have played for Shep."

Biggio went on to say that the Seton Hall baseball program carried a pro-style approach with it.

"My teammates in college and I had a lot of fun together in the three years that I was there, especially the last one," said Biggio.

An All-American at Seton Hall in 1987, Biggio helped lead the Pirates to the program's first BIG EAST Championship.

Just as he helped the Pirates to many firsts for the program, Biggio went on to become the face of the Houston Astros. He helped take the franchise from a state of irrelevance all the way to six playoff berths, four National League Central division championships and the franchise's first trip to the World Series in 2005, always hustling while doing so.

"The game has given me everything, my family, my friends, and respect," he added. "Most of all, it's given me memories to last a lifetime."

On Sunday, Biggio created a day that will remain a memory to those in Pirate Blue nation and beyond for a long time to come.