Eric Hardgrave
Encyclopedia
Eric Hardgrave is a former professional baseball
player who was an All-America
n college baseball player at Stanford University
. He is currently a managing partner of the Silicon Valley
-based venture capital firm, Acuity Ventures.
in Fresno, California
. He was selected with the 59th pick of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft
by the Cleveland Indians
. Hardgrave did not sign with the Indians, opting to attend Stanford University
, where he played for four seasons with the Cardinal. In his senior year of 1983, Hardgrave hit .360, hit 24 home runs, and batted in 81 runs, leading the Cardinal to its second straight College World Series
appearance for the first time in history. That year, Hardgrave was named a first team All-America
n and the Pac-10 player of the year. He graduated with a degree in Economics from Stanford, and in 2005, was named to the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame.
with the 142nd pick of the 1983 Major League Baseball Draft
, and played for the team's minor league affiliates in Spokane
, Reno
, and Beaumont
. He played for the affiliates of the Milwaukee Brewers
and Detroit Tigers
before retiring from baseball in 1988.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player who was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n college baseball player at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He is currently a managing partner of the Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
-based venture capital firm, Acuity Ventures.
High school and college
Hardgrave played first base for Bullard High SchoolBullard High School (Fresno, California)
Bullard High School is a public secondary school located in Fresno, California, USA.. Founded in 1955, it is part of the Fresno Unified School District, and as of 2011 has around 2,650 students on roll in grades 9-12 with approximately 500 students in each grade.-Ethnic composition:As of...
in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
. He was selected with the 59th pick of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft
1979 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1979 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 5-7, 1979, via conference call.-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1979 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :...
by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. Hardgrave did not sign with the Indians, opting to attend Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where he played for four seasons with the Cardinal. In his senior year of 1983, Hardgrave hit .360, hit 24 home runs, and batted in 81 runs, leading the Cardinal to its second straight College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
appearance for the first time in history. That year, Hardgrave was named a first team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n and the Pac-10 player of the year. He graduated with a degree in Economics from Stanford, and in 2005, was named to the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional baseball
Hardgrave was drafted by the San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
with the 142nd pick of the 1983 Major League Baseball Draft
1983 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1983 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Other notable players :*Kevin Ward, 6th round...
, and played for the team's minor league affiliates in Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, and Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
. He played for the affiliates of the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
before retiring from baseball in 1988.