Ben Petrick

Ben Petrick is a notable baseball player known for his achievements in Major League Baseball. Born on April 7, 1977, in Salem, Oregon, he had a vibrant sports career in Glencoe High School, Hillsboro, Oregon, where he excelled in football, basketball, and baseball. Petrick, a highly accomplished athlete, was even recruited to play college football as a safety. Yet, his passion for baseball prevailed as he ultimately signed a letter of intent to play college baseball for Arizona State.

Instead of pursuing his baseball college career, Petrick made the decision to enter the Colorado Rockies' farm system when they drafted him in the second round of the 1995 amateur draft. A remarkable decision that saw him reaching the Major Leagues.

In the Major Leagues, Petrick's career started with a streak. He was called up to the Colorado Rockies for the first time in 1999 and hit .323 with 4 home runs in only 62 at-bats. The following year, he continued to impress by hitting .322 in 52 games for the major league club. However, his performance started to decline, hitting only .238 in 85 games in 2001. In an attempt to revitalize his career, Petrick was acquired by the Detroit Tigers in 2003. However, his stint with the Tigers was unsuccessful, and Petrick was released. He attempted a brief comeback with the AAA Portland Beavers and the Toledo Mud Hens, after which he retired.

Despite his struggles in the Major Leagues, Petrick achieved a unique feat in a 15–11 loss to the San Diego Padres on September 20, 2000. He became only the second player ever to record 4 RBI in a major league game without getting a hit, an achievement that certainly stands out in his career.

In May 2004, when Petrick announced his retirement from baseball, he disclosed his battle with Parkinson's disease, which was diagnosed after the 1999 season. Despite the medication and treatment, the effects of Parkinson's would no longer allow him to play baseball at a high level. After retirement, he returned to Hillsboro and started coaching at his old high school. He also became a consultant for the Hillsboro Hops, a minor-league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, helping the team's young players acclimate to life as a professional baseball player. Besides, Petrick is also the author of the book "40,000 to One."