Caminiti made his major league debut at age 24 with the Houston Astros on July 16, 1987. Caminiti, who . He had been arrested several times for drug possession. On October 5, 2004 just five days prior to his death he admitted in a Houston court that he had violated his probation. He attended San Jose State University, where he played baseball for the Spartans in 1983 and 1984. "[Caminiti] went to use the bathroom while Angel went to buy some chicken," Silva said. National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP), National League Most Valuable Player Award, List of Major League Baseball career assists as a third baseman leaders, List of Major League Baseball career games played as a third baseman leaders, List of Major League Baseball career fielding errors as a third baseman leaders, List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a third baseman leaders, List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders, San Diego Padres award winners and league leaders, "Philadelphia Phillies at Houston Astros Box Score, July 16, 1987", "Ken Caminiti Society for American Baseball Research", "BASEBALL; Padres and Astros Make a 12-Player Swap (Published 1994)", "This Date in Sports History - September 19", "Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres Box Score, September 16, 1995", "Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres Box Score, September 17, 1995", "Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres Box Score, September 19, 1995", "San Diego Padres Top 10 Single-Season Batting Leaders", "ESPN.com: MLB - Astros 3B Ken Caminiti leaves team", "ESPN.com: MLB - Rangers go for broke: A-Rod deal worth $252M", "Padres honoring Ted Williams is right on many levels", "Q&A with Dan Good, author of new book on Ken Caminiti", "New book reveals Ken Caminiti was victim of childhood sexual abuse", Caminiti's death ruled accidental drug overdose, Justice, Richard "Former teammate Caminiti's spirit stays with Biggio", National League Third Baseman Silver Slugger Award, National League Third Baseman Gold Glove Award, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ken_Caminiti&oldid=1136820863, American people convicted of drug offenses, American sportspeople convicted of crimes, Baseball players from San Jose, California, Cocaine-related deaths in New York (state), National League Most Valuable Player Award winners, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from November 2021, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking reliable references from February 2010, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 09:23. Ken Caminiti Signed 1988 Donruss Baseball Rookie Card #308 Beckett Slabbed Auto. Also Known As: Kenneth Gene Caminiti Died At Age: 41 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Nancy Smith (m. 1987-2002) father: Lee Caminiti mother: Yvonne siblings: Carrie, Glenn children: Kendall Caminiti, Lindsey Caminiti, Nicole Caminiti Baseball Players American Men Height: 6'0" (183 cm ), 6'0" Males Died on: October 10, 2004 One highlight of the season was the August 18 game against the Mets in Monterrey, Mexico, which saw him play with dehydration and diarrhea. Moving on toward his family members, he was born to his father Lee Caminiti, and his mother Yvonne. The powerful story of Ken Caminiti, who changed baseball forever as the first player to confess to having used performance-enhancing steroids In Playing Through the Pain: Ken Caminiti and the Steroids Confession That Changed Baseball Forever, writer Dan Good seeks to make sense of MLB MVP Ken Caminiti's fascinating, troubled life. On October 5, 2004 just five days prior to his death he admitted in a Houston court that he had violated his probation. Caminiti was pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m. Just $3 remained in his wallet. Ken Caminiti. During the call, he was already going into cardiac arrest. Caminiti woke her up at about 4 a.m., Romero said, and told her he was going to the hotel to start packing for their flight to Houston that afternoon. "So he called me a couple of times asking me where we could have put it." Expand. Kenneth Gene Caminiti (April 21, 1963 - October 10, 2004) was an American third baseman who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Houston Astros (1987-1994, 1999-2000), San Diego Padres (1995-1998), Texas Rangers (2001) and Atlanta Braves (2001). It is the number Ken Caminiti first wore coming up with the Houston Astros. Many players, including himself and Caminiti, used steroids to play many baseball games during their time. In 1995, at the age of 32, he reached career highs at the plate by hitting .302 with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs in his first season for the Padres, winning his first of three consecutive Gold Glove Awards. From the time he could hold a ball, Kenny played whatever sport was in season. October 11, 2004 / 3:24 AM / AP. In 1994, 1996, and 1997, he appeared in the All Star Game. Somehow, Cammy's broken-down body allowed him to perform at a high level one more time. Lee Caminiti and Yvonne Caminiti were his parents. In 1998, he led the Padres to the 1998 World Series, but they lost to the New York Yankees by 4-0. He finished his career in 2001 with the Atlanta Braves. He, in fact, struggled throughout the first half of 2001 with the Texas Rangers, where he hit just .232. They were both drug addicts who met at a drug rehabilitation center. On October 10, 2004, while he was at his friends apartment in New York City, he took a speedball of cocaine and heroin, and immediately collapsed on the floor and suffered from a massive cardiac arrest. Aug 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres president Ron Fowler (R) presents the family of former third baseman Ken Caminiti with a plaque honoring his induction into the Padres Hall. Ken Caminiti Early Life and Family. 1997 Upper Deck Collectors Choice Ken Caminiti All Star #21 Graded 8 NM-MT. He returned to Columbus in 1987, improving to a .325 batting average, hitting 15 home runs over 95 games and making the Southern League All-Star game. Media coverage of Caminitis death was almost completely overshadowed by that of actor Christopher Reeve, who died the same day. Ken was an ideal celebrity influencer. Caminiti died at Lincoln Hospital in The Bronx at 6:45 pm. Despite being injured several times during his time with Houston, he hit 18 home runs that year, earning him his first All-Star Game selection. As for the reason for the separation, it is still not confirmed. After 1998, the Padres did not attempt to re-sign the free agent eligible Caminiti in a cost-saving move. His funeral services were held in Solana Beach, California. He was born and raised in California and had US citizenship. However, going through the life of Ken Caminiti, we can say that one of the reasons was his struggle with substance abuse. The cause of death was reported to be a heart attack, according to the preliminary news reports. Ken Caminiti of the Houston Astros fields the ball during a 1992 season game. Setting up for the grand-finally show ISCA. "I can't speculate or nothing, because I didn't see him do anything, so I can't say nothing. You can scroll down for information about his Social media profiles. Gonzalez said that when he returned, he saw Silva administering CPR to Caminiti. [13] Before 2001, Caminiti signed for $3.25 million with the Texas Rangers,[14] where he hit just .232 over the first three months of the season. Caminiti was born in Hanford, California on April 21, 1963 to Yvonne and Lee Caminiti who had another son, Glenn and a daughter, Carrie. News. [24] At 3:36 pm, a 911 call was made while Caminiti was going into cardiac arrest. Ken Caminiti commenced his career debut on July 16, 1987, for the Houston Astros, while he retired on October 7, 2001, for the Atlanta Braves. "He came over and gave me a bear hug like you wouldn't believe, and as he was hugging me, he says, 'Well, I let you down. In 2004, he returned to baseball as a spring training instructor with the Padres. Media coverage of Caminitis death was almost completely overshadowed by that of actor Christopher Reeve, who died the same day. Kenneth was able to win three gold glove awards while playing for the Padres in the years 1995, 1996, and 1997. He retired in 2001 after a 15-year career that included two stints with the Houston Astros, four years with the Padres, and brief stints with the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves. Caminiti played professional baseball for 15 seasons, beginning with the Osceola Astros of the Single-A Florida State League in 1985. Ken Caminiti is one of the best baseball players in the 90s. The Cavs' NBA title is a painful reminder that San Diego is without a . At 3:36 pm, a 911 call was made while Caminiti was going into cardiac arrest. He finished his career with the Atlanta Braves. I was freaking out. He had the finances to help her and she took advantage of that," Burns said. I said, 'All right. We'll watch the football game.' In 1996 and 1997, he was also selected for the All-Star Game. But his move to the minor league was not permanent as he played for the Houston Astros from 1987 to 1994. A super pro street 55 chev and his motorcycle. Since he had violated probation three times before, he was sentenced to 180 days in jail, but was released as he was given credit for the time he had already served. His birth took place in Hanford, California, United States, and therefore is American by nationality. Despite an injury forcing Walling to the disabled list in mid-June, the Astros did not call up Caminiti, instead trading for the veteran Buddy Bell. $0.48. "Next thing I know, he came out of the bathroom. Moving on to his family, he was born to his father, Lee Caminiti, and his mother, Yvonne. The three-time All-Star played for several major league baseball teams and was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1996. Reporter Jeremy Schaap and producer William Weinbaum gathered the above information for a report that originally aired on ESPN's "Outside The Lines. At the time of his death he survived by his large extended friends and family. He met Maria Romero, a mother of three, in 2000 when both were patients at the Smithers Center, a drug rehabilitation facility in Manhattan. In 1999, he signed a $9.5 million contract with Houston and returned as a free agent to play for two more seasons. In 1983 and 1984, he was a member of the Spartans baseball team. There were 272, 239 home runs, and 983 runs batted in. This was his fourth violation of probation, and he was sentenced to 180 days in jail but was given credit for his time already served and was released soon. But Burns said Romero was asked to leave. Men's Ken Caminiti San Diego Padres Authentic White /Brown Home Jersey. This article was last updated by Krishna Gurung on February 23, 2023. Kenneth Gene Caminiti (April 21, 1963 - October 10, 2004) was an American third baseman who spent 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Houston Astros (1987-1994, 1999-2000), San Diego Padres (1995-1998), Texas Rangers (2001) and Atlanta Braves (2001). Two calls were placed just after 6 a.m. from Caminiti's cellphone to American Express. 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Ken made his major league debut when he was just 24 years old on July 16, 1987. $89.95. He was born on April 21, 1963, in Hanford, California.Hanford is a beautiful and populous city located in Hanford, California United States of America. By then, he had admitted his use of steroids as a player, and he was struggling with substance abuse. Romero acknowledges striking Caminiti in the face on one occasion, but says he provoked the attack with verbal abuse. Mr. Caminiti was married to a lady named Nancy Smith on November 14, 1987. In July 1987, he made his major league debut with the Houston Astros. When he came out of the bathroom, he collapsed on the floor. Caminiti is a three-time Gold Glove winner who has already been credited with saving two games with his glove. SPONSORED. Caminiti died at Lincoln Hospital in The Bronx at 6:45 pm. But come October, he is battling Brian Jordan once again. Between 8:57 and 9:04 a.m., eight calls were made from Caminiti's cellphone to Romero's mother's apartment. He tested positive for cocaine in September 2004. He was named the National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) with San Diego in 1996, and is a member of the Padres Hall of Fame. [2] He immediately received a large role, starting 51 of the Astros' final 75 games at third base. San Diego Union-Tribune. In 1987, he received a call-up to the Double-A Columbus Astros, a minor league baseball team based in Zebulon, North Carolina. He said, 'I'm going to bring a friend over.' This book takes a look at his life and the circumstances that led to his drinking (starting in middle school), drug problem, steroid use, and death. Despite reportedly being offered more money by the Detroit Tigers,[3] Caminiti returned to Houston on a $9.5 million contract with an option for a third year at $5.5 million. Similarly, he is a Christian, and his zodiac sign is Taurus. Imperfect Caminiti still terribly missed. Ken Caminiti Stats, Fantasy & News. He admitted in 1994 to having a problem with alcoholism and checked himself into a rehabilitation center in 2000. Ken Caminiti Body Measurements. The driver told ESPN it took 25 minutes to reach Hunts Point, a section of the Bronx notorious for drugs. Caminiti returned to Houston as a free agent in 1999 after signing a $9.5 million contract, where he played for two more seasons. He was the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. After his successful senior football season, he was invited to play in many All Star Games. He was slowed by injuries during his second tenure in Houston, and after struggling the first half of 2001 with the Texas Rangers where he hit just .232, he was released and finished his career with the Atlanta Braves, who moved him across the infield in an effort to fulfill their desire for a power-hitting first baseman. "We went to buy a phone," Silva said. [10] In spite of Caminiti's three home runs, the Padres were swept by the St. Louis Cardinals in three games in the NLDS. Despite being a brilliant player, his bright career came crashing down under the burden of drugs and legal problems, and he died of a cocaine and heroin overdose on October 10, 2004 in New York. He graduated from high school in the year 1981. $5.00 shipping. 2021. Ken Caminiti was the brilliant third baseman for the Houston Astros and the San Diego Padres. In a Sports Illustrated cover story in 2002, a year after his retirement, Caminiti admitted that he had used steroids during his 1996 MVP season, and for several seasons afterwards. WPL - a league long overdue, and already making dreams come true. Kenneth broke into the major league with Houston in 1987 and was traded to San Diego in 1995. Likewise, he follows Christianity and his actual zodiac sign is Taurus. After six full seasons in Houston, Caminiti was traded to the San Diego Padres after the 1994 season in a 12-player trade, along with Steve Finley, Andjar Cedeo, Roberto Petagine, Brian Williams, and a player to be named later (PTBNL), in exchange for Derek Bell, Doug Brocail, Ricky Gutirrez, Pedro Martnez, Phil Plantier, and Craig Shipley. In football, he was invited to many all-star games after his senior football season. He grew up along with his brother Glenn, and a sister, Carrie. As for his early career, he started playing for the Spartans in 1983 when he studied at San Jose State University. In San Diego he reached career highs at the plate by hitting .302 with 26 home runs and 94 RBI in 1995, which rose to .326/40/130 in 1996. $29.99. In 1984, the Houston Astros signed Ken Caminiti as a third round pick in the amateur draft. It is said that he used to enjoy playing sports with his siblings and his parents, especially his father. At the time of his death he survived by his large extended friends and family. Also find out how he got rich at the age of 41. SAN DIEGO -- The Padres posthumously inducted Ken Caminiti into the team's Hall of Fame on Saturday night, before San Diego's 9-7 win over the Phillies. Kenneth Gene Caminiti Net Worth & Basic source of earning was being a successful American baseball player. "He said he thought he was in a unique position to help, because this kid would listen to him," Schaffer said. I said, 'When are you coming over?' It didn't last long. Kenneth Gene Caminiti (April 21, 1963 October 10, 2004) was an American third baseman who spent 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Houston Astros (19871994, 19992000), San Diego Padres (19951998), Texas Rangers (2001) and Atlanta Braves (2001). He used to play football and baseball. On October 5, 2004, Ken was admitted to a Houston court because he had violated his probation. I just think she was the only . Five days before he died on Oct. 10, 41-year-old Ken Caminiti walked out of the Harris County Jail in Houston, where he had spent four weeks for violating his probation by testing positive for drugs. He again returned to Houston Astros but only played two seasons before joining the Texas Rangers in 2001. [19] His admitted steroid abuse was discussed in the 2007 Mitchell Report on steroid abuse in baseball. Can the WPL make women's cricket in India mainstream? He, too, had a brother named Glenn and a sister named Carrie. 1988 Donruss Baseball Wax Pack Ken Caminiti Rookie Houston Astros Showing Back. His last recorded weight was 90 kg. Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker endorsed the signing, describing Caminiti as "the ultimate gamer. Caminiti's friends offer a different account. After midnight, according to Romero, they went by taxi to visit her teenage son in Bushwick, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, where crime and drug use are commonplace. 12-28-1994 She doesn't know whether Caminiti took drugs that Sunday, but said she and Caminiti had not used drugs together that week. He starred in football and baseball at Leigh High School in San Jose, California, where he graduated in 1981. In 1981, he graduated from Leigh High School in San Jose, California. August 6th, 2016. Romero's son was living in Bushwick in an apartment with his father, Robert Silva. "I've seen people overdose, when they spit stuff out of their mouth and stuff like that, and that was not happening with him.". Ranking UFC 285 fights: What's the No. Ken was named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1996 when he was playing with San Diego. Two people who knew Caminiti said he described Romero as the love of his life, but others painted a far different picture. From June through August, Caminiti was in Tampa three times. Ken. Darius Days Bio: Family, Contracts And Net Worth, Gus Johnson Bio: Family, Documentary & Net Worth, Mike Conley Net Worth: Charity & Endorsements, Shaun Livingston Bio: Injuries, NBA Championships, Net Worth & Kids, Jose Altuve Bio: Early Life, Career, Net worth, Personal Life, Andrey Rublev: Early Life, Height, Career, Net worth, Girlfriend.