Craig Biggio
A gritty, versatile Astros lifer who redefined the second base position with his hard-nosed play and historic hitting from both catcher and the infield.
Born 1965 (age 61)·American baseball player·Birthday: December 14·Generation X
Biography
Craig Biggio didn't just play for the Houston Astros; he became the physical embodiment of the franchise's blue-collar spirit over two relentless decades. Drafted as a catcher, he quickly made an All-Star team behind the plate, a rare feat for a rookie. In a bold move to extend his career, he mastered second base, turning himself into a Gold Glove defender and forming one of baseball's most formidable double-play combinations. His game was built on hustle—he famously led the league in being hit by pitches, crowding the plate with a fearlessness that fueled his offensive production. Alongside Jeff Bagwell, he anchored the 'Killer B's' era, leading Houston to its first World Series appearance in 2005. His 3,000th hit, a milestone achieved in an Astros uniform, cemented a legacy built not on flash but on consistent, durable excellence.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Craig was born in 1965, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Craig Was Born
The biggest hits of 1965
#1 Movie
The Sound of Music
Best Picture
The Sound of Music
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Craig's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1965Born
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1970Started school
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1978Became a teenager
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Could drive
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1983Could vote
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Turned 21
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1995Turned 30
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 40
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 50
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 60
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 61 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- One of only 35 players in MLB history to record 3,000 career hits, all with the Houston Astros.
- The only player in MLB history to be an All-Star and win a Silver Slugger Award at both catcher and second base.
- Played in 20 consecutive seasons for the Houston Astros, a testament to his durability and franchise loyalty.
- Led the National League in runs scored twice (1995, 1997) and was hit by a pitch a modern-era record 285 times.
- Helped lead the Astros to six playoff appearances and the franchise's first National League pennant in 2005.
Did You Know?
He was drafted in the first round by the Astros in 1987 as a shortstop, not a catcher.
He and his longtime teammate Jeff Bagwell have their uniform numbers (7 and 5) retired together on the wall at Minute Maid Park.
He once played an entire game with a broken hand, a testament to his notorious toughness.
His son, Cavan Biggio, was drafted by and plays for the Toronto Blue Jays, making them a rare father-son duo in the majors.
He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, his first year of eligibility.
“I wasn't the biggest, I wasn't the strongest, I wasn't the fastest. I just went out and played the game the right way.”
