Ken Caminiti was a well-known American third baseman who played in 15 Major League Baseball seasons (MLB). Ken Caminiti rose to prominence after being named the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1996.
Quick Facts
| Full Name: | Ken Caminiti |
|---|---|
| Born Date: | 21 Apr 1963 |
| Age: | 58 years |
| Horoscope: | Taurus |
| Lucky Number: | 8 |
| Lucky Stone: | Emerald |
| Lucky Color: | Green |
| Best Match for Marriage: | Virgo, Cancer, Capricorn |
| Death Date: | October 10, 2004 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Profession: | Baseball Player |
| Country: | United States |
| Height: | 6 feet 0 inches (1.83m) |
| Marital Status: | divorce |
| Divorce | Nancy Smith |
| Net Worth | $12 million US dollars |
| Birth Place | Hanford, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Christian |
| Education | San Jose State University |
| Father | Lee Caminiti |
| Mother | Yvonne |
| Siblings | (Two) Glenn and Carrie |
| Kids | (Three) Kendall, Lindsey, and Nicole |
Ken Caminiti Biography
Ken Caminiti was born on April 21, 1963, as Kenneth Gene Caminiti. His birthplace is Hanford, California, and he is therefore of American nationality. Similarly, he is a Christian, and his zodiac sign is Taurus.
Moving on to his family, he was born to his father, Lee Caminiti, and his mother, Yvonne. He, too, had a brother named Glenn and a sister named Carrie. In terms of his educational background, he attended Leigh High School in San Jose and graduated in 1981. While there, he used to play football and baseball. He attended San Jose State University after graduating from high school. In 1983 and 1984, he was a member of the Spartans baseball team.
Ken Caminiti Death
Throughout his career, Ken Caminiti struggled with drug addiction. As a result, he was admitted to a treatment facility in 1994. Similarly, he was admitted to a rehabilitation clinic for the second time in 2000. He had been arrested several times for drug possession. On October 10, 2004, he ingested a speedball of cocaine and heroin at a friend’s apartment in New York City and collapsed on the floor, suffering from a major cardiac arrest. He died at Lincoln Hospital on the same day, at the age of 41.
Ken Caminiti Height And Weight
He was 6 feet tall and weighed 90 kg, according to his body measurements.
Career
The Houston Astros selected Ken Caminiti in the third round of the amateur draft in 1984. In 1985, he made his professional baseball debut with the Osceola Astros of the Single-A Florida State League. He went on to play for another 15 seasons after that. He also played third base for Puerto Rico’s Indios de Mayagüez in the Puerto Rico Winter League.
In July 1987, he made his major league debut with the Houston Astros. Similarly, he returned to the minor leagues in 1988, joining the Pacific Coast League’s Triple-A Tucson Toros. Despite being injured several times during his time with Houston, he hit 18 home runs that year, earning him his first All-Star Game selection. In 1996 and 1997, he was also selected for the All-Star Game. Similarly, after six seasons with Houston, he was traded to the San Diego Padres in a 12-player deal that included Steve Finley, Andujar Cedeno, Roberto Petagine, Brian Williams, and another player for Derek Bell, Doug Brocail, Ricky Gutiérrez, Pedro Martnez, Phil Plantier, and Craig Shipley.
In 1995, he achieved numerous milestones and set career highs with the San Diego squad. Despite missing much of the 1996 season due to a terrible injury, he had an outstanding season and was named National League Most Valuable Player. In addition, he signed a $9.5 million contract with Houston in 1999 and returned as a free agent for two additional seasons. He was unable to give his all during his second stint with Houston due to a variety of ailments. He retired in 2001 after a 15-year career that included two stints with the Houston Astros, four years with the Padres, and brief stints with the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves. He was a switch-hitter with a batting average in his career.
There were 272, 239 home runs, and 983 runs batted in. In 2004, he returned to baseball as a spring training coach for the San Diego Padres. In addition, he informed his counsel that he wishes to train young players, educate them on the dangers of alcohol and drug use, and assist them in avoiding the mistakes he made.
Ken Caminiti’s Net Worth
Ken had a successful baseball career, and as a result, he had amassed a sizable fortune. He was estimated to have a net worth of $12 million US dollars at the time of his death.
Ken Caminiti Wife, Marriage
In his personal life, he married Nancy Smith on November 14, 1987. Kendall, Lindsey, and Nicole were the couple’s three daughters. On the other hand, they divorced on December 10, 2002. Moving on, he met Maria Romero in 2000. They were both drug addicts who met at a drug rehabilitation center. They were about to marry, but he died unexpectedly.
