Courtney Duncan facts for kids

Courtney Duncan (born October 9, 1974) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs. His time in the big leagues was during the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

Courtney Duncan: A Baseball Story

Early Baseball Days

Courtney Duncan grew up in Alabama. He finished Daphne High School in 1993. After high school, he first planned to play college baseball at a junior college.

However, he was recruited by Sap Randall, a coach from Grambling State University. Duncan decided to go to Grambling State after being offered a special scholarship. In 1995, he was named one of the best players in his college conference. This was a big achievement for him.

Becoming a Professional Player

In 1996, the Chicago Cubs chose Courtney Duncan in the 20th round of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft. This meant he could start playing baseball professionally. His first professional game was on June 26 with the Williamsport Cubs.

By the year 2000, the Cubs decided to change Duncan's role. They wanted him to be a relief pitcher. A relief pitcher comes into the game after the starting pitcher. Duncan said it took time to get used to pitching on back-to-back days. Still, he finished the year with many saves in his league. A save is when a relief pitcher finishes a close game without letting the other team score.

Playing in the Major Leagues

Courtney Duncan made it to the Chicago Cubs' main team in 2001. He made his Major League Baseball debut on April 2, 2001. This was on Opening Day at Wrigley Field. He came into the game as a relief pitcher.

Later that season, on May 1, he was sent to a minor league team called Triple-A. But just one day later, he was called back to the Cubs. This happened because another pitcher got hurt. On May 5, Duncan even scored a run and got a run batted in (RBI) in a game. These were the only run and RBI of his MLB career.

Duncan faced some injuries during 2001. He hurt his back in June and later had tendinitis in his shoulder. Tendinitis is when a tendon gets swollen and painful. He returned to play in September.

Final Seasons in Baseball

In 2002, Duncan started the season in Triple-A. He was called back to the Cubs on May 25. He played in only two more Major League games. His last MLB game was on June 1, 2002. After the season, the Cubs did not offer him a new contract. He became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.

Duncan continued to play in minor league baseball for a few more years. He played in the San Diego Padres' and Anaheim Angels' farm systems in 2003. In 2004, he played for teams in the Chicago White Sox organization.

His final professional game was in 2005. He played for an independent team called the Jackson Senators. He faced only two batters in that game. After this, he stopped playing professional baseball.