VIDEO: Space Coast Sports Hall of Famer Prince Fielder Hammers 300th Home Run
By Space Coast Daily // June 30, 2015
Fielder joins his father in 300 MLB home run club
ABOVE VIDEO: Prince Fielder hammers a solo shot over the right-field fence for the 300th Major League home run of his career on June 26.
PRINCE FIELDER – 2015 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
• 5-Time MLB All-Star
• National League HR Leader
• 50 Home Run Club Member
A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
Prince Fielder spent much of his childhood in one of the biggest residences in Brevard County – five acres of land and 19,000 square feet of house. But he is better known for his big bat.
Born a right-hander, but converted to a leftie by his father, former pro Cecil Fielder, Prince played in Brevard for two different high schools – Florida Air Academy and Eau Gallie.
In 2002, his senior year with the Commodores, he batted .524 with 13 doubles, 10 home runs, 41 RBIs and scored 47 times.
That was all after he hit a home run into the upper deck of Tiger Stadium in Detroit during his dad’s batting practice – when he was 12.
After high school, the Milwaukee Brewers organization drafted Fielder seventh overall in the first round.
During his fourth season of playing in a variety of minor league cities, the Brewers called Fielder up to play in the majors for part of the 2005 season.
In 2006, Fielder became the Brewers starting first baseman.
Though he faltered at the beginning of that first season – ruining his chances for Rookie of the Year honors – he finished strong and led all rookies that year with 28 home runs.
Over the first six years in the big leagues with the Brewers, Fielder earned many honors.
In 2007, he was the National League home run leader and was awarded both the Silver Slugger Award and the Hank Aaron Award for being the top hitter in the National League.
That season he was named to the All-Star team, and since has played in the mid-season classic four more times—2009 and 2011-2013.
In 2012, Fielder became a free agent and signed a 9-year $214 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, which was the largest contract in that teams’ history.
During his stint with the Tigers, Fielder won the Home Run Derby championship for the second time and helped the team reach the World Series.
ON THE COMEBACK
After the 2013 season, Fielder was traded to the Texas Rangers.
He suffered a neck injury in June 2014, which ended the season for him. He had successful neck surgery similar to the surgery that has prolonged the career of football great Peyton Manning.
A recent story on the Rangers website by Scott Miller notes that Fielder is ready for the new season and his teammates are hopeful for his recovery.
“And so he is, like a guy making up for lost time… Done at 30? Who knows, maybe Fielder is just getting started.
“Everything is healthy, and I get to play baseball with no worries,” says Fielder, who had a consecutive-games-played streak of 547 at the time he went down last May.
“You just like playing the game. Results don’t matter. They’ll come if you’re out there. Just the fact that you can come out here again and do this for your job, and be in the clubhouse with your second family. That’s the part I missed the most.”
Fielder is back – and pro baseball will welcome him – and that big bat.
ABOVE VIDEO: Space Coast Sports Hall of Famer Prince Fielder has been a National League home run leader and was awarded both the Silver Slugger Award and the Hank Aaron Award for being a top hitter in the National League.
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THE 2016 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony will take place at the Cocoa Beach Country Club on Friday, May 6.
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