Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson was a three-time All-Star one of the best outfielders in baseball throughout his 16-year career. Granderson was born in Illinois in 1981 to two teachers, both who valued education above anything else. He excelled in academics while playing basketball and baseball throughout his childhood. In high school, Granderson was named an All-State his selection his senior year and was recruited by numerous college baseball programs, ultimately settling on the University of Illinois-Chicago. Granderson graduated from UIC with not one but two degrees, in business administration and business marketing and having retired his college baseball jersey number by the university. He was selected in the third round of the 2002 MLB Draft and played two years in the minors before debuting in the majors with the Detroit Tigers in 2004.

Throughout his time in the MLB, Granderson was a three-time All-Star, a recipient of both the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award and the Silver Slugger Award, the league leader in triples from 2007 to 2008 and the RBI leader in 2011, along with a member of the 20-20-20 club.