HOUSTON - Craig Biggio played for the Houston Astros longer than any other player in franchise history, donning the uniform for 20 seasons. Wes Parsons Jersey .On Tuesday, he was rewarded for an illustrious career by becoming the first Astros player to be elected to baseballs Hall of Fame.Biggio called it a huge day for Astros fans.To be able to give this back to them now, Im happy, he said. They deserve it.Biggio, who played catcher, second base and the outfield, received 82.7 per cent of the votes and was elected along with pitchers Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz. Biggio got 68.2 per cent his first year and came just two votes shy of being elected last year.The seven-time All-Star retired in 2007 with 3,060 hits, and his 668 doubles are the major league high for a right-handed batter. He holds the MLB record for times hit by pitches with 285 during a career that included 291 homers, 1,175 RBIs, 1,161 walks, 414 stolen bases and 1,844 runs.Hes the only player in MLB history have 600 doubles, 250 homers, 3,000 hits and 400 steals.As one-third of Houstons famed Killer Bs with Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman, Biggio helped the Astros become the first team from Texas to reach the World Series in 2005. Despite being swept by the Chicago White Sox, Biggio said helping the team to the World Series was his greatest moment with the Astros.For Jeff and I we were just two East Coast kids that came to Texas and just loved to play baseball, and thats all we wanted to do, Biggio said. And our big dream and goal from Day 1 was always to get to the World Series.Bagwell was thrilled at Biggios election.He played as hard as anyone in the world, Bagwell said. He was an amazing player and an amazing teammate that I appreciated a great deal. My career would not have been as successful if it were not for him. I am very happy for him.There was but a tinge of disappointment in Biggios big day. Bagwell fell short of the 75 per cent needed for election with 55.7 per cent in his fifth year on the ballot, up from 54.3 per cent a year ago.I kind of miss my boy up here right now, Biggio said, adding Bagwell is no doubt a Hall of Famer. Hopefully something positive happens in the next year or two.Astros fans around the country took to Twitter to express their excitement. Texans star J.J. Watt, who often dons Astros hats, simply tweeted Biggio!!! moments after the announcement.Barbara and I join Houston Astros fans of all ages — and fans of baseball, period — in congratulating our dear friend, Craig Biggio, on his selection to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, former President George H.W. Bush said in a statement. He was one of the Killer Bs, known for his sterling leadership both on and off the field. And during the course of his remarkable career he set the highest standard for both performance and professionalism.Biggio was all smiles while joined by his family at a news conference.I woke up at 4:30 and was sick as a dog and nervous as heck, he recalled.His wife Patty had never seen him like he was on Tuesday morning.He was sweaty and his face was splotchy, she said. He was very nervous. Had to keep moving.So at 7 a.m. Biggio lifted weights and ran. Still amped, he went on a 2-mile walk a bit later to try and calm down. That didnt ease his nerves, so he came back and threw batting practice to his sons.When the call finally came, a relieved Biggio wept and hugged and high-fived his wife and children while still on the phone.Craig worked so hard every day and its so nice to see his hard work recognized in the best way it could be, Patty said.Biggio had a walk down memory lane to his childhood days back on Long Island, outside New York City. During a conference call with reporters, Biggio thought back to a job he had before Houston made him a first-round pick in 1987.Growing up in Long Island, I delivered your newspaper, by the way — Newsday, he told a reporter. I had a newspaper route for many, many years. It was my brothers and then my sister, and then it went down to me.___AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report. Josh Fuentes Jersey . The 26-year-old slider from Calgary posted a time of 50.464 seconds, 0.573 seconds back of leader Natalie Geisenberger. The German led the overall World Cup womens standings this season and continued her dominance by putting down a track record time of 49. Daniel Murphy Jersey .com) - Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh called Joe Flacco the NFLs best quarterback last week. https://www.cheaprockiesjerseys.us/224t-kyle-freeland-jersey-rockies.html .J. -- Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch deservedly draw the attention for what theyve done in getting the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl.CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Liverpool will play Manchester City, AC Milan and Olimpiakos during a preseason U.S. exhibition tour, and Manchester United will face Inter Milan and Roma. Liverpool opens against Olimpiakos on July 27 at Chicagos Soldier Field as part of Group B in the eight-club Guinness International Champions Cup, organizers said Thursday. The Reds face Manchester City at New Yorks Yankee Stadium on July 30 and AC Milan on Aug. 2 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., home of the NFLs Carolina Panthers. Manchester United plays Roma at Denvers Sports Authority Field on July 26, then meets Inter Milan on July 29 at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. In other games in the tournament, AC Milan plays Olimpiakos at New Yorks Citi Field on July 24 and Manchester City faces Olimpiakos at Minneapolis TCF Bank Stadium on Aug. 2. Other group Group A matches include Real Madrid-Inter at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on July 26; Real Madrid-Roma at Dallas Cotton Bowl on July 29; and Inter-Roma at Philadelphias Lincoln Financial Field on Aug. 2. The site of the Manchester United-Real Madrid match on Aug. 2 was not announced. This will be the seventh U.S. trip for Liverpool, which is owned by Fenway Sports Group, the parent company of the Boston Red Sox. "Touring from a business perspective and a commercial standpoint, its incredibly important," Liverpool chief commercial officer Billy Hogan said during a news conference in Charlotte. "Its something we do to try to bring the club closer to our fan base. We have hundreds of millions of fans around the world ffrom the U. Dante Bichette Jersey. S. to Asia. ... Not everybody gets a chance to get to see where we play in Liverpool. Its a 3,800-mile flight. So were excited to bring the first team out here." Some stars may not be available for the matches, depending on when their national teams are eliminated from the World Cup. The final will be Aug. 4 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. The match in Charlotte will be the first sporting event at Bank of America Stadium after it completes a $112.5 million renovation. The city agreed to pay part of the renovation cost in exchange for the Panthers hosting five rent-free events annually over the next six years. "Our ultimate goal with getting international soccer here was to secure an event that has a strong potential for significant economic impact," Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon said. "The teams announced here today can certainly help us achieve that." Cannon said Liverpools visit to Boston and Fenway Park in 2012 generated $9.4 million in visitor spending. Cannon wants to attract more soccer games to Charlottes stadium, which was completed in 1996 and was built with sightlines for football and soccer in mind. "Bringing two high calibre teams here is something our soccer community will treasure and remember for the rest of their lives," Cannon said. Liverpool, led by midfielder Steven Gerrard and forward Luis Suarez, has 18 English league championships — but none since 1990 — and five Champions League titles. AC Milan has won 18 Series A championships and seven Champions League titles. ' ' '