View source for B. J. Surhoff

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1964)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=B. J. Surhoff
|image=B.J. Surhoff.jpg
|position=[[Left fielder]] / [[Catcher]] / [[Third baseman]]
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1964|8|4}}
|birth_place=[[Bronx, New York]], U.S.
|bats=Left
|throws=Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 8
|debutyear=1987
|debutteam=Milwaukee Brewers
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=October 2
|finalyear=2005
|finalteam=Baltimore Orioles
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.282
|stat2label=[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
|stat2value=2,326
|stat3label=[[Home run]]s
|stat3value=188
|stat4label=[[Runs batted in]]
|stat4value=1,153
|teams=
* [[Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|1987}}–{{mlby|1995}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|1996}}–{{mlby|2000}})
* [[Atlanta Braves]] ({{mlby|2000}}–{{mlby|2002}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|2003}}–{{mlby|2005}})
|highlights=
* [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1999 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1999]])
* [[Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor]]
* [[Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame]]
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport | Men's [[baseball]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Baseball at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]] | [[United States national baseball team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Intercontinental Cup (baseball)|Intercontinental Cup]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[Intercontinental Cup (baseball)|1983 Brussels]] | [[United States national baseball team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Pan American Games]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[Baseball at the 1983 Pan American Games|1983 Caracas]] | [[United States national baseball team|Team]]}}
}}
'''William James''' '''"B. J."''' '''Surhoff''' (born August 4, 1964) is an American former [[catcher]], [[outfielder]], [[first baseman]], [[third baseman]], and [[designated hitter]] in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB). Over his 18-year MLB career, he played every position except [[pitcher]]. After playing for the Orioles from 1996 to 2000, he rejoined the team in 2003 and played through the 2005 season. He started his career with the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] (1987–1995) and also played for the [[Atlanta Braves]] (2000–2002). Surhoff began his career as a catcher, and after playing third base in the mid-1990s, shifted to become primarily a [[left fielder]]. Surhoff was the [[List of first overall Major League Baseball draft picks|first-overall pick]] in the [[1985 MLB Draft]].

==Baseball career==
Born in [[the Bronx]], Surhoff attended [[Rye High School (Rye, New York)|Rye High School]] in Westchester, New York. After high school he attended the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]]. In 1983, he played [[collegiate summer baseball]] with the [[Wareham Gatemen]] of the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://8403a99e-8d00-4664-a774-e77d846eb09d.filesusr.com/ugd/f23760_9729dcbb94804fe8b39d2d7a0ef45387.pdf |title=WAREHAM GATEMEN ALUMNI |publisher=gatemen.org |access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> Surhoff was honored as the 1985 [[ACC Athlete of the Year|ACC Male Athlete of the Year]], and played on the first (1984) U.S. Olympic baseball team. He was a two-time first team [[All-American]] at UNC and his career batting average of .392 was a school record until [[Dustin Ackley]] set the mark at .412 in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/020402aaa.html |title=Tar Heel Monthly: Catching Up B. J. Surhoff. |author=Adam Lucas |date=February 3, 2002 |access-date=April 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008045645/http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/020402aaa.html |archive-date=October 8, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Surhoff was selected by the Brewers with the [[List of first overall Major League Baseball draft picks|first overall pick]] of the [[1985 Major League Baseball draft]]. He was a versatile player, having appeared at every position except pitcher over the course of his career. He had 2,326 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]], 188 [[home runs]] and 1,153 [[runs batted in]] during his career. Although always a consistent hitter, having [[Batting average (baseball)|hit]] over .280 in 12 of his 19 seasons, Surhoff's finest season was his 1999 campaign with the Orioles, in which he led the [[American League]] in [[at-bat]]s (673), ranked second in hits (207), was selected to the American League All-Star team, and ultimately won Most Valuable Oriole honors for the season, becoming one of five players to get 200 or more hits in a season for the team. He also participated in the [[Home Run Derby]]. In other notable seasons, he finished sixth in the AL in [[Double (baseball)|doubles]] in 1993 with the Brewers and finished fifth in batting average in the AL with the Brewers in 1995 with a .320 average.

In 2007, Surhoff was elected to the Orioles Hall of Fame, with the official induction ceremony occurring before the start of the Orioles–[[Minnesota Twins|Twins]] game on August 25, 2007, at [[Oriole Park at Camden Yards]].

==Personal life==
Surhoff's father [[Dick Surhoff|Dick]] played two years in the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] in 1952–1953 and 1953–1954 and his brother [[Rich Surhoff|Rich]] appeared in nine games in 1985 as a [[relief pitcher]] for the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] and the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]. He also has a brother named Mark who lives in Rye, New York. His son, [[Austin Surhoff|Austin]], swam at the [[University of Texas]] and won the 200 [[medley swimming|individual medley]] and 200 [[backstroke]] at the 2010 [[Big 12]] Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texassports.com/sports/m-swim/recaps/022510aab.html|title=Feigen, Surhoff earn NCAA automatic-qualifying marks at Big 12 Championships|date=February 25, 2010|access-date=February 28, 2010|archive-date=June 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611070859/http://www.texassports.com/sports/m-swim/recaps/022510aab.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Then he won the 200 Individual Medley national title a month later.

Surhoff lives in [[Cockeysville, Maryland]], with his wife Polly and their four children. He is the president of Pathfinders for Autism, a Hunt Valley support group for families with autistic children. Surhoff's son, Mason, is autistic.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/thetoydepartment/2010/07/catching_up_with_former_oriole_9.html |title=The Toy Department: Catching Up With ... former Oriole B. J. Surhoff – Baltimore sports: Ravens, Orioles, Terps blog by Baltimore Sun reporters – baltimoresun.com |access-date=July 11, 2010 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213519/http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/thetoydepartment/2010/07/catching_up_with_former_oriole_9.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Surhoff is the uncle of former UNC third-team [[All-American]] pitcher [[Brian Moran (baseball)|Brian Moran]], and former Astro third baseman/outfielder [[Colin Moran]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/moran_brian00.html |title=Player Bio: Brian Moran |access-date=April 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401084513/http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/moran_brian00.html |archive-date=2009-04-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/moran_colin00.html |title=Player Bio: Colin Moran |access-date=April 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110309073225/http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/moran_colin00.html |archive-date=2011-03-09 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2008, 2009 and 2012 Surhoff was a spring training instructor for the Baltimore Orioles.<ref>Sports Illustrated, August 2, 2010, Where are they Now?, p.86, Published by Time Inc.</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2012/02/late-inning-intrigue.html|title= MASN Sport, School of Roch: Late-inning intrigue|access-date=February 13, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|mlb=122989|espn=1829|br=s/surhob.01|fangraphs=117|brm=surhof001wil}}

{{MLB Number One Draft Picks}}
{{1985 MLB Draft}}
{{Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor}}
{{Milwaukee Brewers 1st round}}
{{Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame}}
{{ACC Male Athlete of the Year}}
{{The Sporting News College Baseball POY}}
{{1984 College Baseball All-Americans}}
{{1985 College Baseball All-Americans}}
{{National College Baseball Hall of Fame}}
{{United States baseball roster 1984 Summer Olympics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Surhoff, B.J.}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All-American college baseball players]]
[[Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada]]
[[Category:American League All-Stars]]
[[Category:Atlanta Braves players]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 1983 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]]
[[Category:Beloit Brewers players]]
[[Category:National College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:El Paso Diablos players]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Brewers players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball left fielders]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball catchers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball designated hitters]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball first basemen]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball third basemen]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:New Orleans Zephyrs players]]
[[Category:North Carolina Tar Heels baseball players]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in baseball]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Atlanta]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Baltimore]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Milwaukee]]
[[Category:Baseball players from the Bronx]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Westchester County, New York]]
[[Category:Vancouver Canadians players]]
[[Category:Wareham Gatemen players]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1983 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in baseball]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]