Craig Stansberry facts for kids

Craig Leo Stansberry, born on March 8, 1982, is a former professional Major League Baseball player from America. He played as an infielder, which means he played positions like second base, shortstop, or third base.

Craig Stansberry holds a special place in baseball history. He was the very first player in Major League Baseball to be born in Saudi Arabia. Another player, Alex Wilson, became the second in 2013.

Early Life and College Baseball

Born in Saudi Arabia

Even though Craig was born in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, he only lived there for about a month. His father worked for a building materials company in Saudi Arabia for three years.

High School and College Success

Craig grew up in Texas and went to Plano Senior High School. After high school, he played college baseball for one year at Rice University. While playing for the Owls, he was a very good hitter. He had a batting average of .309. This means he got a hit almost 31% of the times he tried to hit the ball.

He also hit six home runs and had 56 RBI (Runs Batted In) in 70 games. An RBI means he helped a teammate score a run. In his only year at Rice, he helped the Owls win the College World Series championship. This is a huge achievement in college baseball.

Professional Baseball Career

Joining the Major League

After his successful college year, the Pittsburgh Pirates chose Craig in the 5th round of the Major League Baseball draft in 2003. He played for the Pirates' minor league teams for four seasons. Then, in December 2006, the San Diego Padres picked him up.

Making His MLB Debut

Craig started the 2007 season playing for the Portland Beavers. This was the Padres' Triple-A team, which is just one step below the Major Leagues. He was playing very well, hitting .273 with 14 home runs. He also had ten stolen bases, which means he ran to the next base without the ball being hit.

On August 25, 2007, Craig got his chance to play in the Major Leagues. He was called up to the San Diego Padres team. He made his big league debut on the same day as a pinch hitter. A pinch hitter is a player who bats in place of another player. In his very first at bat (turn to hit), he got a single off a pitcher from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Playing in China

In 2008, Craig Stansberry was part of a historic event. He played in the first-ever Major League Baseball game held in China. The Los Angeles Dodgers played against the San Diego Padres in Beijing.

Records with the Portland Beavers

After his time in the Major Leagues, Craig returned to play for the Portland Beavers. In 2010, he set some impressive records for the team. He played more games than any other player for the Portland Beavers. He also set club records for the most hits, doubles, and walks. He finished his time with Portland having played 531 games for them.

See also

• List of countries with their first Major League Baseball player