It’s June 4, 1987. The MLB Draft is underway and the Houston Astros are on the clock. Scouting Director Dan O’Brien Jr., a former ticket sales rep for the Seattle Mariners, is on the clock, and the pick is very much in. A diminutive catcher from Seton Hall has his eye. Just 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Craig Biggio is headed to The Bayou City.
Now, the likelihood of Kennesaw, Georgia catcher Harry Ford turning into the player Biggio did is unlikely, but not out of the question. Biggio was a compact backstop whose talents ultimately pushed him to second base and centerfield after a stint behind the plate at the beginning of his career.