Sam Khalifa
Encyclopedia
Sam Khalifa is a former Major League Baseball
player. The seventh overall pick in the 1982 June draft. He played 164 games across three seasons in the majors, most as a shortstop
and all as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates
. His primary historical importance arises from his status as the first person of Egypt
ian descent to play major league baseball. He ended his career with a .219 batting average
, a .294 on base percentage
, and a .285 slugging percentage.
Khalifa's father, Rashad Khalifa
, was murdered on January 31, 1990. Though no one was ever convicted of the murder, Islamic extremists opposed to his teachings have been connected to it.
Khalifa is no longer involved with professional baseball. He currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona
. Khalifa is currently the only Muslim
of Arab descent to have played in the Major Leagues.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. The seventh overall pick in the 1982 June draft. He played 164 games across three seasons in the majors, most as a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and all as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. His primary historical importance arises from his status as the first person of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian descent to play major league baseball. He ended his career with a .219 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, a .294 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, and a .285 slugging percentage.
Khalifa's father, Rashad Khalifa
Rashad Khalifa
Rashad Khalifa was an Egyptian-American biochemist, closely associated with the United Submitters International. He was assassinated in 1990.-Life:Khalifa was born in Egypt on November 19, 1935...
, was murdered on January 31, 1990. Though no one was ever convicted of the murder, Islamic extremists opposed to his teachings have been connected to it.
Khalifa is no longer involved with professional baseball. He currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. Khalifa is currently the only Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
of Arab descent to have played in the Major Leagues.