Houston Astros

First Impression; great card, great action, he at least hit the ball. Jose Cruz was one of my favorite players to emulate as a kid playing whiffle, due to his high leg kick. He was an All Star in 1980 but I assume was not voted a starter and therefore would not get the All Star banner.

Location: At bat.

Date of birth: August 8, 1947

Career stats: It seemed like he only spent time with the Astros but he was actually a Cardinal for 5 seasons prior to joining the Astros in 1975. With the Astros he hit .292 over his career spanning 1870 games hitting 165 HR and driving in 1077. He was a two time All Star and two-time silver slugger. After his time with Houston, he played for the Yankees before retirement.

All Time Stat: He was the all-time leader in hits for the Astros (1,937) until being passed by Craig Biggio.

Fun Fact: He was known for mastering the Astrodome’s cavernous outfield, turning line drives into triples and doubles that other players couldn’t reach. Cruz still holds the Astros team record for career triples 35+ years after his retirement with 80.

Honored Legacy: His number 25 was retired by the Astros in 1992.

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