Boone continues to fill big shoes


When Aaron Boone stepped on to Deudeaux Field for the first time as a freshman in 1992, the business administration major and newly crowned third baseman had big shoes to fill.

The Orange County native was not only a member of the prestigious Trojan baseball family, but also of the Boone family, arguably the most successful blood lines in the history of baseball.

To make matters worse for the third generation baseball standout, his older brother, Bret, had already compiled a highly successful career in Cardinal and Gold, as he was voted a two-time All-American by Baseball America in 1989 and 1990, while etching his name in several categories of the Trojans’ record book.

After three years, an All-American honor of his own and a career .308 batting average at USC, Aaron Boone joined his brother as one of the most accomplished athletes in the program’s recent history.

But if his time in Southern California was defined as a period of great achievement, Boone’s professional career more than lived up to the families pedigree.

In a 14-year career that featured stints with six teams, an All-Star appearance in 2003 and the legendary walk-off home run that won Game Seven of the 2003 American League Championship Series for the New York Yankees, Boone’s career paid tribute to an athlete who didn’t shy away from the bright lights and expectations that came with carrying on the family name.

For an infielder who many scouts projected as a rarely used utility man when he first came up through the minor leagues, the former-Trojan exemplified the meaning of fighting on.

But if his career .263 batting average, 126 home runs, and 555 runs batted in fail to tell the whole story, Boone’s battle to get back on the baseball diamond last year says it all.

On March 26 of last year, Boone underwent open-heart surgery to replace a bicuspid aortic valve, a condition that he has suffered from since childhood. The surgery, although not thought to be life-threatening, was serious enough for Boone to consider quitting the major leagues.

However, for a family that has made their mark on the sport of baseball as much for their on-field performance as the grit and passion they played with, in fitting Boone tradition, the former-USC third baseman didn’t give up.

On Sept. 2, only five months after his surgery, Boone returned to the place that had offered security and refuge since the time he was a young boy: the baseball field. Although he would return by going 0-for-3 with the Houston Astros, his presence alone was a testament to his resiliency amidst grave odds- a trait that defined his career from day one.

In appropriate form for an athlete who constantly succeeded despite playing in the shadows of his highly-gifted family members, Boone announced his retirement this week without much fanfare or much celebration.

Boone, in attempt to remain active in the game of baseball, also announced that he will be joining ESPN immediately, as a full-time MLB analyst. The man he replaces is the reputable, Hall of Fame journalist Peter Gammons. Just another day in the life of a man, all too familiar with the role of filling big shoes.