“Biggio’s” with a Killer “B”

Craig Biggio | Illustration by German Arellano

Retirement from the game doesn’t always mean retirement from the sport or the community. Although he hung up his jersey back in 2007, Hall of Famer CRAIG BIGGIO still finds his life very much wrapped up in Major League Baseball™ as a special assistant to JEFF LUHNOW, the Astros’ General Manager. In fact, the baseball legend says his life is busier now than when he was playing.

The seven-time All-Star is leading a very busy life, especially with his kids (starting college, new jobs and getting drafted), and most recently committed his name to a brand new, two-level premium sports bar to be named Biggio’s in the Marriott Marquis Houston, opening later this year.

As for his recent Hall of Fame status, Biggio says that, of course, is the highest accolade he could have dreamed. “I was the first guy to go in as an Astro. We’ve had a lot of great players in Houston and to be the guy to go in the Hall of Fame is exciting. It’s really more exciting to share it with everybody because it’s the only team I ever played for. I was loyal and dedicated to the Houston Astros organization, to the city and the community … it’s fun because we all did it together,” Biggio says of his admiration of Houston fans. Biggio is just the 49th Hall of Fame inductee who spent his entire career with one team, so to say he’s a permanent fixture in Houston’s sports landscape would be an understatement.

“I love the fans. I’ve made Houston my home – I’ve lived here for close to 30 years – and to do something like this with Marriott is an exciting opportunity to be with the fans and part of revitalizing that [downtown] area,” he says. Downtown Houston has been restored and revitalized bit by bit for the past few years, but with the upcoming Super Bowl (February 2017), the construction and additions are on fast-forward mode. As for his involvement with the new sports bar, Biggio says he’s up for creating a signature dish, still to be determined though. He said it’s also not far off base to say that fans can see him there from time to time. “I’ll be there as much as I can. The Astros are right next door so it’s very convenient and close,” he adds, hinting that this could be a new pre- and post-game spot for baseball fans. The former player also admits he’s excited for the timing of this new project, just in time for the visitors that Super Bowl LI will bring in. “I want [visitors] to see what Houston has to offer, which is a lot. Houston is a fun town – the restaurants, night life, shopping, sporting events – especially where you have the Rockets, Astros and Dynamo all within a quarter mile. I want people to come and enjoy the city and really see what Houston, Texas, is all about,” he says.

Biggio is the only player in baseball history with at least 3,000 hits, 600 doubles, 400 stolen bases and 250home runs. We think he’s earned a sports bar with his name on it.

This article originally ran in the August 2016 print issue of Local Houston Magazine, in the sports section.