William Lance Berkman (born February 10, 1976 in Waco, Texas) is a Major League Baseball player for the Houston Astros. His official listed height is six feet, one inch, and his weight is 220 pounds (100 kg). Berkman is a switch-hitting outfielder/first baseman who throws left-handed, a comparatively rare practice amongst non-pitchers. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... The position of the first baseman First base redirects here. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Branch Davidian siege in Waco, Texas, see Waco Siege. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... Homerun redirects here. ... RBI is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, including Reserve Bank of India Run batted in, in baseball Radio Berlin International This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1999 throughout the world. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Branch Davidian siege in Waco, Texas, see Waco Siege. ... Major Leagues redirects here. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... In baseball, a switch hitter (or switch-hitter) is a batter who is able to hit from both the right and left sides of the plate. ... Austin Kearns, an outfielder, catches a fly ball. ... The position of the first baseman First base redirects here. ...

Amateur career

Berkman graduated from Canyon High School in New Braunfels, Texas in 1994.

He then attended Rice University, where he was named the 1997 National College Player of the Year, playing for the legendary Wayne Graham, as well as named a first team All-America by Collegiate Baseball Magazine, Baseball America and The Sporting News. He was invited to visit the White House and dine with President Clinton along with the rest of the Baseball America honorees. Lovett Hall William Marsh Rice University (commonly called Rice University and opened in 1912 as The William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Letters, Science and Art) is a private, comprehensive research university located in Houston, Texas, United States, near the Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical... Wayne Graham (born April 6, 1936 in Yoakum, Texas) is a former major-league baseball player and the college baseball coach at Rice University in Houston, Texas. ...

Throughout college, he batted a collective .385 with 67 home runs and 272 RBI. His 41 home runs in 1997 ranked third-most in NCAA history. That year he also made the all-time record book in RBI (2nd-134), slugging percentage (6th-1.031) and total bases (4th-263) while leading the Rice Owls to their first College World Series appearance.

Minor league career

After the Astros drafted Berkman, the team assigned him to play with their "A" minor league affiliate, Kissimmee. In only 53 games, he hit .293 with 12 HR and 35 RBI . In 1998, his second minor league season, he was promoted to class "AA" Jackson. His potential was beginning to show, as he hit .306 and clubbed 24 HR with 89 RBI over 122 games for manager Jim Pankovitz. The Astros took notice, and they granted him a mid-season promotion to "AAA" New Orleans Zephyrs. He played 17 games in New Orleans, and 1998 would prove to be his last full season in the minor leagues. In 1999, Berkman was midway through a great season in New Orleans when he was called up to the parent club, the Houston Astros. Prior to the promotion, he had been hitting a robust .323, although he only had 8 HR and 49 RBI through 64 games. Before being called up to the Majors, he was the starting right fielder in the 1999 MLB All-Star Futures Game. Kissimmee is a city located in Osceola County, Florida. ... This year in baseball 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 5 - Don Sutton, a 324-game winner is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his fifth try. ... League Pacific Coast League Division American Conference Year founded 1993 Major League affiliation New York Mets Home ballpark Zephyr Field Previous home ballparks Mile High Stadium City Metairie, Louisiana Current uniform colors navy, green Previous uniform colors Logo design The wordmark Zephyrs in navy blue outlined in white and green. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1999 throughout the world. ... The All-Star Futures Game was conceived by Jimmie Lee Solomon, an Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for Major League Baseball, looking for an event to showcase the minor leagues and round out the All-Star week festivities. ...

Major League career

Throughout his entire high school, college, and minor league career, Berkman played first base. Because Jeff Bagwell was already entrenched at first, Berkman was forced to play outfield to get into the starting lineup. His first stint with the Astros ended with 34 games played. He was demoted during the offseason for seasoning. The position of the first baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that players team. ... Jeffrey Robert Bagwell (born May 27, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, who spent his entire major league baseball career with the Houston Astros. ... The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. ...

The demotion proved brief, however; 31 games into the season, Houston again requested his services, and Berkman showed the club why they had used their first round pick on him. Moving from left field to right field, he hit .297, 21 HR and 67 RBI. This firmly established him in the Astros lineup, and he has been a starter ever since. The position of the right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in right field (e. ...

2001 was a tremendous season for Berkman, who hit .331 (4th in the NL), posted a .430 On-base percentage (5th in the NL), and drove in 126 runs (7th in the league). He also scored 110 runs and hit 34 home runs, while his 55 doubles led the league. 2001 also marked his first All-Star appearance (he would repeat in 2002, 2004, and 2006) and he was 5th in Most Valuable Player voting. The following are the baseball events of the year 2001 throughout the world. ... National league can refer to: National Basketball League, in the United States and Canada, which merged with the rival Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association National Football League, the major American football league in the United States National Hockey League, the major ice hockey league in... In baseball statistics, on base percentage (OBP) (sometimes referred to as on base average (OBA)) is a measure of how often a batter gets to first base for any reason other than a fielding error or a fielders choice. ... In sports, a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests. ...

With the Astros shuffling their roster around before the 2002 season, Berkman agreed to play center field. Although he lacks the range of most center fielders, he read balls well in the outfield and made very few mistakes. 2002 saw his batting average drop to .292, although he kept his on-base percentage high at .405. His power output increased also, resulting in 42 home runs. Berkman scored 106 runs and drove in 128, good enough to lead the league. As a result, he was third in the NL in the Most Valuable Player voting for 2002. This year in baseball: 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 8 - Ozzie Smith is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. ... The position of the center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field - the baseball fielding position between left field and right field (e. ...

2003 brought about Berkman's worst season since becoming a regular. His batting average dipped to .288, although his on-base percentage was still high at .412. He hit 25 home runs, and only drove in 93 runs, scoring 110 himself. In the field, he played all but one game in left field. The following are the events of the year 2003 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... The position of the left fielder A left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder in the sport of baseball who plays defense in left field. ...

The next season, 2004, saw him rebound at the plate. His average was up to .316, and his OBP was .450, having walked 127 times. He hit 30 home runs, drove in 106, and scored 104 runs. He also hit 40 doubles and appeared in 160 games, the most so far in his career for a single season. Berkman made the All-Star team, and was runner up in the 2004 Home Run Derby with 21 homers. In May, his .785 slugging average and 24 RBI won him the National League Player of the Month for the first time in his career. Defensively, Berkman split 2004 between left and right field. The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world. ... OBP may mean either: OBP, an abbreviation for on base percentage in baseball statistics This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. ... Barry Bonds holds the MLB record for highest slugging average in a season (.863). ... The Player of the Month award is a Major League Baseball award named by each league every month of the regular season. ...

In 2005, Berkman moved to first base while Jeff Bagwell was injured. He ended up with a respectable 24 home runs and 82 RBIs. He played a crucial role in Game 4 of the Astros' NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves. In perhaps the finest moment of his professional career, Berkman hit a grand slam in the 8th inning. That brought the score to 6-5 in favor of the Braves, but the game was tied in the next inning on a two-out solo home run by Brad Ausmus. The teams then battled for 9 more innings in what became the longest game in Major League Baseball playoff history, with the Astros eventually winning the game (and the series) in the bottom of the 18th inning on a Chris Burke home run. Chris Burke had replaced Berkman as a pinch runner in the 10th. In the 2005 World Series, Berkman's first, the Astros were swept by the Chicago White Sox in four games, but Berkman did his part, compiling a .385 average, with two doubles. His six RBIs during that series were by far the most of any of the Astros' hitters. The following are the baseball events of the year 2005 throughout the world. ... Jeffrey Robert Bagwell (born May 27, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, who spent his entire major league baseball career with the Houston Astros. ... In baseball, the Division Series is the official name for the first round of the Major League Baseball playoffs. ... In the sport of baseball, a grand slam (or just slam for short) is a home run hit with all the bases occupied by baserunners, thereby scoring 4 runs - the most possible on a single play. ... Bradley David Ausmus (born April 14, 1969, in New Haven, Connecticut) is an American 3-time Gold Glove Award winning catcher in Major League Baseball with the Houston Astros. ... Major Leagues redirects here. ... Christopher A. (Chris) Burke (Born March 11, 1980 in Louisville, Kentucky) is a Major League Baseball player for the Houston Astros. ... Dates: October 22, 2005–October 26, 2005 MVP: Jermaine Dye (Chicago) Television: FOX Announcers: Joe Buck and Tim McCarver Umpires: Joe West, Jeff Nelson, Jerry Layne, Derryl Cousins, Gary Cederstrom, Angel Hernandez ALCS: Chicago White Sox over Los Angeles Angels (4-1) NLCS: Houston Astros over St. ... For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 16, 19, 42, 72 Name Chicago White Sox (1904–present) (Chicago) White Stockings (1901-1903 *From 1900 to 1903, the official name did not contain the city name of Chicago...

On Mother's Day, May 14, 2006, Berkman was one of more than 50 hitters who brandished a pink bat to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation. For Mothers Day as observed throughout the world, see Mothers Day. ... Starting in 2006, the Louisville Slugger Company produced a limited supply of more than 400 pink baseball bats for use by more than 50 professional baseball players on Mothers Day. ...

On September 13, 2006, Berkman became only the 2nd switch hitter in Major League history to hit 40 or more homers in multiple seasons, Mickey Mantle being the other (Mantle hit more than 40 home runs in four different seasons). Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. ...

During the 2006 season, Berkman had the best season of his career. He hit 45 home runs and had 136 RBIs, breaking the Astros single season record, which was set by Jeff Bagwell in 1997 (135). He also had an excellent .315 batting average, and an on-base percentage of .420, as well as a slugging percentage of .621. He has also hit a career high 5 home runs from the right side of the plate. He finished 3rd in the MVP voting behind Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols. The following are the baseball events of the year 2006 throughout the world. ... Jeffrey Robert Bagwell (born May 27, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, who spent his entire major league baseball career with the Houston Astros. ... Ryan James Howard (born November 19, 1979 in St. ... Pujols redirects here. ...

Berkman started 2007 in a bit of a slump, batting .261, well below his career average, but rebounded for a strong second half of the season. Also, the Astros tried to stimulate offense, changing the batting order a lot, and he has volunteered, if necessary, to move back to the outfield for a few games. Berkman finished the 2007 season with a .278 batting average, 34 home runs and 102 RBIs, along with 7 stolen bases. The following are the baseball events of the year 2007 throughout the world. ... Here are things that start with the name Astros: Major League Baseball Houston Astros Astros Field A place in Arcadia, Greece Astros, Greece See also: Astro This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Berkman so far has had an outstanding 2008 season, hitting 16 home runs as of May 22, 2008 which is first in the MLB, batting at .388 which is second in the MLB behind Chipper Jones, and has 45 RBIs which is second in the MLB behind Josh Hamilton. He is also leading MLB in runs scored (50) and doubles (18). Larry Wayne Chipper Jones, Jr. ... Josh Hamilton is an actor based in New York who has appeared in Broadway and off Broadway productions. ...

Significant statistics

Note: All stats are as of May 3 2007.

• Four time All-Star (2001-02, 2004, 2006)
• 12th among active players in batting average (.303)
• 5th among active players (25th all-time) in on-base percentage (.416)
• 12th among active players (25th all-time) in slugging percentage (.561)
• 7th among active players (17th all-time) in OPS (.983)
• Led NL in doubles (55) in 2001.
• Led NL in RBI (128) in 2002.
• National League Player of the Month in May 2004.
• National League Player of the Week for April 21-27 and May 5-11 in 2008*
• Lance Berkman holds the National League record for most single season RBIs (136) as a switch hitter.
• Holds the record for most home runs at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati for an opposing player with 18 in his career.

In baseball statistics, slugging average (SLG) is a measure of the power of a hitter. ... For other uses, see OPS. Ops, more properly Opis, (Latin: Plenty) was a fertility deity and earth-goddess in Roman mythology of Sabine origin. ... The Player of the Month award is a Major League Baseball award named by each league every month of the regular season. ... MLB awards a player of the week award every week for outstanding performance. ...

Personal life

Berkman and his wife Cara live in Houston with their three daughters: Hannah Leigh (May 17, 2001), Carly Anne (August 24, 2003), and Katie Mae (June 18, 2006). Berkman is a ballroom dancing enthusiast and was an alternate to Clyde Drexler in the 2007 season of Dancing With the Stars. For the video game based on the American series, see Dancing with the Stars (video game) International versions of Dancing with the Stars Dancing with the Stars is the name for a number of international television series based on the format of the British series Strictly Come Dancing. ...

Trivia

Lance has had the nickname "Fat Elvis" for several years, after an ESPN the Magazine interview in which he stated that his mother thought he looked like Elvis. Lance Zierlein asked him, "the fat one or the skinny one," to which he answered, "I guess the fat one." Additionally, in 2005, he was given the short-lived nickname "Berkwell" once he took over Jeff Bagwell's first base position.

However, he is now most popularly known as the "The Big Puma." During the offseason in early 2008, Berkman did an interview on a local Houston sports station, 1560 The Game. The interviewer jokingly asked Lance to coin a new nickname for himself. He sarcasticly responded that he played baseball like a puma, that is, he is fierce, sleek, and powerful, yet quick on his feet. And despite its comedic origins, the fans and media have latched onto "The Big Puma" and it now seems to be firmly entrenched as Berkman's nickname.

Statistics

+ - Led NL

Bold - Career High

See also

• Top 500 home run hitters of all time
• List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
• List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
• Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game

In the sport of baseball, a home run is the act of hitting the ball in such a manner, whether out of the park or in (see inside the park home run), that allows the batter to safely reach home and score in one play. ... Major League Baseball recognizes runs batted in champions in the American League and National League each season. ... Major League Baseball recognizes doubles champions in the American League and National League each season. ... Listed below are the occurrences of Major League Baseball players who have hit three home runs in a single game. ...

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube