He was a two-time all-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference baseball star.
As a 14-year veteran of Major League Baseball, he has stolen over 414 bases, putting him in seventh place on the all-time steals list.
He is also closing in on 2,000 hits and has won four Gold Gloves, the award for the best defensive player at a position.
In 1997, he was the American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player as a member of the Cleveland Indians.
He is Marquis Grissom, and he is a FAMU alumnus.
Grissom was born on April 17, 1967 in Atlanta, as one of 15 children. He attended Lakeshore High School in College Park, Ga.
After coming to FAMU in 1985 and spending three years with the Rattlers, he was picked in the third round of the MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos.
During his time at FAMU, however, he became one of the best baseball players in school history,as well as MEAC history.
Grissom spent his first six seasons with the Expos, hitting an average of .273 and winning the first of his four consecutive Gold Gloves in his fifth season.
From Montreal, Grissom moved back to his hometown in Atlanta, where he was the starting center fielder and part of the Braves’ 1995 World Series Championship team.
After spending two years with the Braves, the all-star was traded to Cleveland, where he was once again the starting center fielder for a World Series team.
Grissom rejoined the National League after one season with the Indians, becoming a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, and earning a multi-year, $5 million contract.
He continued to put up excellent numbers despite being a part of a losing organization.
Grissom spent three successful years in Milwaukee, and eventually found a home with his fifth and current team, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He was relegated to the bench in Los Angeles, but still greatly contributed to Dodger teams that compete annually for division titles.
Grissom was inducted into FAMU’s Hall of Fame in 1994.
In 1999 Grissom donated $20,000 to FAMU.
He is one of the reasons why the Rattlers will continue to strike, strike and strike again!
Compiled by Kevin Fair