CURTIS GRANDERSON PROFILE

Born: 1981/03/16
Age: 30
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185
Place of birth: Blue Island, IL
Bats/Throws: L / R

Curtis Granderson was born on March 16, 1981 in Blue Island, Illinois. (Click here for a complete listing of today's sports birthdays.) His parents, Curtis Sr. and Mary, were both educators and impressed upon him the importance of staying in school. Curtis Sr. worked as a gym teacher at Nathan Hale Elementary, and Mary taught science at Curie High School.

The Grandersons lived in Lynwood, a southern suburb of Chicago. A gifted student, Curtis heeded the advice of his parents and spent plenty of time hitting the books. Intelligent and articulate, he felt right at home in the classroom.

His parents were there to catch every one of their son's highlights. Mary never seemed to miss a game, and Curtis Sr. coached a couple of his boy's Little League teams.

With Chicago close by, Curtis rooted for the Cubs and White Sox. When he discovered WTBS, he began following the Atlanta Braves, especially after they rose to prominence in the National League. The player Curtis most identified with, however, was Ken Griffey Jr. He marveled at Junior's combination of speed and power at the plate and loved the way he roamed the outfield.