American baseball player
Born: September 4, 1968
Mike Piazza is an American former professional baseball player, widely celebrated as one of the greatest hitting catchers in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. Born on September 4, 1968, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, Piazza was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 62nd round of the 1988 MLB Draft, a pick initially influenced by his family’s connections with Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda. Despite being a low-round pick, Piazza quickly defied expectations with his extraordinary hitting abilities.
Piazza made his MLB debut in 1992 with the Dodgers, where he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1993. Known for his powerful swing, Piazza hit 427 career home runs, the most by any catcher in MLB history. He played for several teams during his career, most notably the Dodgers and the New York Mets, where he became a fan favorite. One of his most iconic moments came in 2001 when he hit a game-winning home run in the first Mets game in New York following the September 11 attacks, a moment that symbolized hope and resilience.
A 12-time All-Star and 10-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Piazza was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016, solidifying his legacy as one of baseball’s all-time greats.
Mike Piazza’s 5 most popular quotes
- Nobody wanted me. Scouts told me to go to school, to forget baseball. Coaches said, ‘You’re never going to make it.’ I appreciated their honesty, because I think when someone tells you something you may not like, you have to use that as fuel for motivation.
- It’s easy for me not to go to Mass on the road. But I’ve made a fundamental decision. I’m going to be dedicated. I’m going to make the time. I’m going to get up, if that means getting up at seven on a Sunday morning before a day game and do it, I’m going to do it.
- I’m not trying to prove anybody wrong, I’m just trying to prove something to myself.
- I’m playing baseball because I love it, not because I need the money or attention. That is why I’ve been so dedicated. I’ve accomplished a lot of things no one ever thought I could, and I’ve done it from hard work.
- A pitcher never gets me out. I get myself out. That’s no disrespect to the pitcher, but there should be no excuse for failure. You can’t have an excuse to fail.
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