Curtis Pride facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Curtis Pride |
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Pride with The President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition in 2011
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| Gallaudet Bison | |||
| Coach / Outfielder | |||
| Born: December 17, 1968 Washington D.C., U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 14, 1993, for the Montreal Expos | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 2006, for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .250 | ||
| Home runs | 20 | ||
| Runs batted in | 82 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As manager
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Curtis John Pride (born December 17, 1968) is a former professional baseball outfielder. He is also deaf. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2006. He played for teams like the Montreal Expos and New York Yankees. In 2015, Pride became MLB's Ambassador For Inclusion. This means he helps make baseball welcoming for everyone. Since 2009, he has been the head baseball coach at Gallaudet University.
Contents
Curtis Pride's Amazing Journey in Baseball
Early Life and Talents
Curtis Pride was born deaf because of rubella. But he learned to speak early in his life. He graduated from John F. Kennedy High School. This was in Silver Spring, Maryland. In high school, he was great at baseball, basketball, and soccer.
After high school, Curtis went to the College of William and Mary. He was the main point guard for the basketball team. He was also an amazing soccer player. He even played for the United States in the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship in China. He scored two goals in that tournament. One goal was the winning shot against Bolivia. He was named one of the top 15 young soccer players in the world that year. He was also a 1986 Parade Magazine High School All-American soccer player. Curtis uses his small amount of hearing (5%) to help him speak. He is also very good at reading lips.
Playing in Major League Baseball
First Steps in the Majors
The New York Mets first signed Curtis Pride. But he made it to the major leagues with the Montreal Expos in 1993. When he joined, he was the first deaf player in the majors since Dick Sipek in 1945. Curtis was a left-handed hitter. He was good at choosing which pitches to swing at. He also had great speed.
He did not play every game. Instead, he often came in as a pinch hitter. He also played in the outfield, usually left or right. He filled in when other players were hurt. People knew him as a great fielder with a strong arm. His first hit in the Major Leagues was on September 17, 1993. His first four hits were a double, a triple, a home run, and a single.
A Career of Dedication
Before the 1996 season, Pride became a free agent. He then signed with the Detroit Tigers. He played well there as a part-time outfielder. In 95 games, he had his best year. He hit for a .300 batting average. He also hit 10 home runs and had 31 RBI. He scored 52 runs and had 80 hits. He also had 17 doubles, 5 triples, and 11 stolen bases. People thought he would play even more in the future.
However, in 1997, he was on the disabled list due to injury. He was then released and signed by the Red Sox. After that, he played for the Braves. He also returned to Boston and Montreal. He played a little for the Yankees. In 2004, the Anaheim Angels signed him. They called him up from their Triple-A team, the Salt Lake Stingers. In 2005, he signed a minor league contract with the Angels. He was called up again when Vladimir Guerrero got hurt. He went back to the minors when Guerrero recovered.
Pride later played for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. This was an independent league team. In his eleven-season Major League career, Pride batted .250. He had 20 home runs and 82 RBI in 421 major league games.
Coaching and Giving Back
In 2008, Curtis Pride became the baseball coach at Gallaudet University. This is a special school for the deaf. He was the head coach until 2024. That year, the university ended its baseball program. In the summer of 2011, he was an assistant coach. He worked for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Helping Others: Curtis's Foundation
Curtis Pride and his wife, Lisa, run the Together With Pride foundation. This foundation helps children who are hard of hearing. They have a program that provides hearing aids. The foundation also supports other activities. These include scholarships, reading programs, and mentoring.
In 1996, Pride received the Tony Conigliaro Award. This award goes to an MLB player who overcomes challenges with spirit and courage. In 2016, he won the Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. This award honors people with disabilities who have made a big impact. Pride has homes in the Washington, D.C. area and Wellington, Florida.
