All Things Bubba

The photo of Bubba the Owl is from the Rice baseball media guide. It's online here, in PDF form; there's a history section that has some pictures of Bubba, as well some interesting lists of records. (Thanks to RM for the tip!)

Naturally, Lance Berkman is featured prominently. There's also some mention of Reds shortstop Paul Janish, though not as much as I'd have expected. No photos (that I noticed, anyway), and not much in the way of records. (Though he is tenth on the list of career doubles.)

Bubba's name is on a lot of the record lists. Curiously, though he's on the batting average, triples, and home runs lists, he didn't make the doubles list. Perhaps it's related to the ridiculous number of triples he had. I could see a lot of doubles becoming triples, with his speed.

I was surprised to see Enrique Cruz was a product of Rice. No, not "The Gay Porn Star," the Reds' Enrique Cruz (who got that nickname as a joke, after fans Googled his name the day he was added to the Reds roster). The other infielder named Enrique Cruz, who was drafted by the Yankees and is now in the Mets farm system.

Anyways, since PDFs are kind of a pain, and next year's media guide might be different, I decided to "liberate" some of the more interesting bits...

Individual Hitting

Batting Average

Career (400 Career At-Bats)

.399, Damon Thames (1998-99)
.385, Lance Berkman (1995-97)
.382, Vincent Sinisi (2002-03)
.376, Jose Cruz Jr. (1993-95)
.356, Joe Savery (2005-active)
.355, Bubba Crosby (1996-98)
.355, Chris Kolkhorst (2002-2004)
.353, Mark Quinn (1994-95)
.347, Jacob Baker (1996-99)
.342, Will Ford (1996-99)

Season (2.5 At-Bats Per Team Game)

.431, Lance Berkman (1997)
.428, Vincent Sinisi (2002)
.424, Damon Thames (1998)
.419, Jim Fox (1962)
.401, Jose Cruz Jr. (1994)
.398, Lance Berkman (1996)
.398, Will Ford (1999)
.394, Bubba Crosby (1998)
.386, Justin Berg (1997)
.385, Curtis Fox (1985)

Runs Scored

Career

233, Lance Berkman (1995-97)
223, Jason Richards (1996-98)
223, Austin Davis (2001-2004)
203, Jay Knoblauh (1985-88)
200, Bubba Crosby (1996-98)
199, Jose Cruz Jr. (1993-95)
198, Chris Kolkhorst (2002-2004)
191, Charles Williams (1997-99)
184, Chris Boni (1992-95)
175, Eric Arnold (1999-2002)
174, Damon Thames (1998-99)

Hits

Career

309, Austin Davis (2001-2004)
291, Eric Arnold (1999-2002)
285, Lance Berkman (1995-97)
266, Chris Kolkhorst (2002-2004)
256, Jacob Baker (1996-99)
252, Will Ford (1996-99)
251, Jay Knoblauh (1985-88)
240, Bubba Crosby (1996-98)
238, Damon Thames (1998-99)
235, Charles Williams (1997-99)

Game

6, Bubba Crosby vs. McNeese State (Feb. 14, 1997, at Cameron Field)
6, Lance Berkman vs. Cincinnati (Feb. 21, 1997, at Cameron Field)
6, Will Ford vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee (May 29, 1999, at Lubbock)
6, Paul Janish vs. Nevada (Apr. 3, 2004, at Reno)

Consecutive Games Hitting Streak

30, Bubba Crosby (1998)
29, Charles Williams (1998-99)
29, Damon Thames (1998-99)

Runs Batted In

Career

272, Lance Berkman (1995-97)
243, Bubba Crosby (1996-98)
217, Eric Arnold (1999-2002)
203, Jose Cruz Jr. (1993-95)
187, Damon Thames (1998-99)
185, Jay Knoblauh (1985-88)
179, Will Ford (1996-99)
162, Jacob Baker (1996-99)
160, Austin Davis (2001-2004)
151, Justin Berg (1996-99)
151, Josh Rodriguez (2004-2006)

Season

134, Lance Berkman (1997)
115, Damon Thames (1998)
92, Lance Berkman (1996)
91, Bubba Crosby (1998)
89, Mark Quinn (1995)
88, Bubba Crosby (1997)
81, Jacques Landry (1996)
80, Vincent Sinisi (2002)
76, Jose Cruz Jr. (1995)
75, Eric Arnold (2002)

Game

10, Jose Cruz Jr. vs. Southwest Texas State (Feb. 9, 1995, at Cameron Field)
9, Mike Fox vs. Texas Tech (March 22, 1985, at Lubbock)
8, Eric Graff vs. Lamar (April 9, 1985, at Cameron Field)
8, Bubba Crosby vs. McNeese State (Feb. 14, 1997, at Cameron Field)
8, Lance Berkman vs. Cincinnati (Feb. 21, 1997 at Cameron Field)
8, Lance Berkman vs. Northwestern State (Feb. 23, 1997, at Cameron Field)
8, Damon Thames vs. TCU (April 3, 1998, at Cameron Field)
8, Bubba Crosby vs. New Mexico (April 11, 1998, at Albuquerque, N.M.)
8, Vincent Sinisi vs. Southwest Texas State (March 3, 2002, at Reckling Park)

Triples

Career

20, Bubba Crosby (1996-98)
15, Charles Williams (1997-99)
15, Jay Knoblauh (1985-88)
15, Chris Boni (1992-95)
13, Damon Thames (1998-99)
11, Will Ford (1996-99)
11, Lance Berkman (1995-97)
11, Tyler Henley (2005-active)
10, Chris Kolkhorst (2002-2004)
10, John Eierman (1989-91)
10, Josh Rodriguez (2004-2006)

Season

11, Bubba Crosby (1997)
9, Charles Williams (1999)
8, Jason Gray (1999)
7, Matt Fox (1999)
7, Chris Boni (1995)
7, Damon Thames (1998)
7, Tyler Henley (2006)
6, Damon Thames (1999)
6, Robert deLeeuw (1978)
6, Scott Johnson (1983)
6, Patrick Hallmark (1995)
6, Bubba Crosby (1996)
6, Will Ford (1997)

Home Runs

Career

67, Lance Berkman (1995-97)
59, Bubba Crosby (1996-98)
43, Jose Cruz Jr. (1993-95)
42, Eric Arnold (1999-2002)
39, Jay Knoblauh, (1985-88)
37, Damon Thames (1998-99)
33, Jacques Landry (1995-96)
32, Enrique Cruz (2001-03)
29, Jason Richards (1996-98)
29, Jacob Baker (1996-99)

Season

41, Lance Berkman (1997)
26, Damon Thames (1998)
25, Bubba Crosby (1998)
22, Bubba Crosby (1997)
20, Jason Gray (1999)
20, Lance Berkman (1996)
19, Jacques Landry (1996)
18, Mark Quinn (1995)
16, Enrique Cruz (2002)
16, Jose Cruz Jr. (1995)
16, Aaron Luna (2006)

Game

4, Lance Berkman vs. Massachusetts (March 9, 1996, at Cameron Field)
4, Bubba Crosby vs. New Mexico (April 11, 1998, at Albuquerque, N.M.)
3, Carl Reynolds vs. Baylor (March 22, 1956, at Rice Field)
3, Eric Graff vs. TCU (March 27, 1987, at Fort Worth)
3, Jose Cruz Jr. vs. Southwest Texas State (Feb. 9, 1995, at Cameron Field)
3, Damon Thames vs. New Mexico (April 11, 1998, at Albuquerque, N.M.)

HR in Consecutive Games

6, Lance Berkman vs. Massachusetts (2/4, March 9, 1996, at Cameron Field)
6, Bubba Crosby vs. New Mexico (2/4, April 10-11, 1998, at Albuquerque, N.M.)
5, Jose Cruz Jr. vs. S.F. Austin State, Southwest Texas State (2/3, Feb. 8-9, 1995, at Cameron Field)

Consecutive Games With At Least One Home Run

7, Bubba Crosby (April 7-17, 1998)
5, Lance Berkman (Feb. 8-14, 1997)
5, Lance Berkman (Feb. 21-28, 1997)

Home Runs in Consecutive At-Bats

4, Jose Cruz Jr. vs. S.F. Austin State, Southwest Texas State (1/3, Feb. 8-9, 1995, at Cameron Field)
4, Lance Berkman vs. Massachusetts (March 9, 1996, at Cameron Field)

Total Bases

Career

572, Lance Berkman (1995-97)
499, Eric Arnold (1999-2002)
499, Bubba Crosby (1996-98)
461, Austin Davis (2001-2004)
449, Jay Knoblauh (1985-88)
435, Damon Thames (1998-99)
404, Jacob Baker (1996-99)
403, Jose Cruz Jr. (1993-95)
402, Will Ford (1996-99)
371, Jason Richards (1996-98)

Season

263, Lance Berkman (1997)
248, Damon Thames (1998)
192, Bubba Crosby (1997)
187, Damon Thames (1999)
184, Jason Gray (1999)
183, Bubba Crosby (1998)
180, Lance Berkman (1996)
177, Charles Williams (1999)
177, Mark Quinn (1995)
175, Vincent Sinisi (2002)

Game

18, Bubba Crosby vs. New Mexico (April 11, 1998, at Albuquerque, N.M.)
17, Bubba Crosby vs. McNeese State (Feb. 14, 1997, at Cameron Field)
16, Eric Graff vs. TCU (March 27, 1987, at Fort Worth)
16, Lance Berkman vs. Massachusetts (March 9, 1996, at Cameron Field)
14, Mike Macha vs. Texas Tech (March 21, 1975, at Lubbock)

Slugging Percentage

Career (Min. 400 AB)

.772, Lance Berkman (1995-97)
.737, Bubba Crosby (1996-98)
.730, Damon Thames (1998-99)
.676, Jose Cruz Jr. (1993-95)
.617, Mark Quinn (1994-95)
.612, Jacques Landry (1995-96)
.609, Jay Knoblauh (1985-88)
.572, Vincent Sinisi (2002-03)
.560, Eric Arnold (1999-2002)
.558, Mike Macha (1974-76)
.550, Jason Richards (1996-98)

Season (2.5 at-bats per team game)

1.031, Lance Berkman (1997)
.876, Damon Thames (1998)
.828, Bubba Crosby (1998)
.747, Lance Berkman (1996)
.744, Bubba Crosby (1997)
.742, Jose Cruz Jr. (1994)
.717, Jay Knoblauh (1987)
.708, Mark Quinn (1995)
.686, Jose Cruz Jr. (1995)
.653, Aaron Luna (2006)
.652, Jay Knoblauh (1988)

Most Times On Base

Game (Nine-Inn.)

7, Jose Cruz Jr. vs. Texas Southern (Feb. 22, 1995, at MacGregor Park)
7, Bubba Crosby vs. McNeese State (Feb. 14, 1997, at Cameron Field)
7, Lance Berkman vs. Cincinnati (Feb. 21, 1997, at Cameron Field)

Then there's this record:

Miscellaneous Single Game Records

Largest Margin of Victory

31: Rice 35, McNeese State 4 (Feb. 14, 1997, at Cameron Field)
28: Rice 37, Cincinnati 9 (Feb. 21, 1997, at Cameron Field)
26: Rice 27, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1 (May 29, 1999, at Lubbock)

That's insane. Can you imagine a team scoring 37 runs in a baseball game?

There's also a section with lists of Rice players who are active in the pros. It includes this photo of Bubba, from his Yankees days:



There are lists of Rice first-round draft picks, Rice players who made the big leagues, and Rice players who are currently playing pro baseball in the minors.

At the end are lists of awards Rice players have won, but I think I'll save those for another day, because this is getting awfully long.

Bubba was obviously a star at Rice. Though he seems to have been overshadowed by Lance Berkman his first two years, and by someone named Damon Thames his last year (after Berkman left for the pros). Thames had a heck of a year, but it looks like he wasn't drafted, and washed out of baseball after only three years.

I'll end with this yearbook-style photo of Bubba.

"Will Rice" is a residential college at Rice University. I guess they do that "Harvard houses" kind of thing.

According to Wikipedia:

Will Rice's symbol is the Phoenix, its colors are maroon and gold, and the college is known among its alumni and residents as "the college of individuals," or, more jocularly, "the college of gods and goddesses."

Hmmm. Sounds kind of like Gryffindor.