About Ellis Burks
Ellis Rena Burks (born September 11, 1964) is an American former outfielder. Burks played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 18 seasons from 1987 to 2004 with the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants, and Cleveland Indians. Burks was a two-time MLB All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, a Gold Glove Award winner, and a member of the 30–30 club. He is a member of the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. == Early life == Burks was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, but raised in Fort Worth, Texas, and attended Everman High School. Burks was initially overlooked by scouts and only received a scholarship offer from Ranger Junior College after a showcase at Arlington Stadium. His school lost a junior college championship to the Jay Buhner-led McLennan Community College. == Career == Selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round (20th pick) of the 1983 Major League Baseball draft, Burks made his debut in the 1987 season as a regular center fielder at age 22, becoming the third player in Red Sox history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in one season. He was selected to both the Baseball Digest and Topps "All-Rookie" teams. Defensively, Burks showed excellent range, a sure glove and a strong arm.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.