HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Whether you knew him as Big Puma, Fat Elvis, a Killer B, or the catalyst of that Astros playoff comeback from 2005, Lance Berkman has been tightly woven into Houston sports fabric going back to his days with the Rice Owls baseball team.
The video is from a previous 2021 report on Berkman’s hiring at HCU.
Berkman, now teaching the next generation of baseball players as Houston Christian University’s head coach on the diamond, is heading into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.
The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority announced on Thursday the former Astro’s induction for the 2024 class, which already will have Houston Comets great Cynthia Cooper as part of it.
“Berkman’s passion for baseball at every level and his undeniable impact on the city of Houston make him more than worthy to be a part of the very accomplished 2024 Hall of Fame class,” the sports authority wrote in a news release.
Berkman is also joining two Astros teammates who were already inducted, Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio.
“It’s certainly a great honor to me, and getting to be in there with a couple of my former teammates is just the icing on the cake,” Berkman said.
The 47-year-old’s origin story in Houston is well known, having matriculated at Rice University, where he was instrumental in the baseball program’s first College World Series berth in 1997. Later that year, the Astros made him the 16th overall pick in the MLB draft.
He went onto start his 12 years with the Astros in 1999. From there, his story is one dearly held by fans of that era. With Houston, he earned five All-Star selections, was in the National League MVP conversation in a handful of seasons, and helped the ‘Stros reach their first-ever World Series in 2005.
Berkman went on to wind down his MLB career with the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Texas Rangers, winning the 2011 World Series with the Cards. He retired as an Astro in 2014 after signing a ceremonial contract.
The sports authority plans to announce a third and final member of the 2024 class at a later date.
Berkman and Cooper will be inducted during the 2024 Houston Sports Awards, which is set in January.
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