Matt Holliday is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for 15 seasons. He was born on January 15, 1980, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and grew up in a family of athletes. His father, Tom Holliday, was a college baseball coach, and his brother, Josh Holliday, is currently the head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball team.
Holliday attended Stillwater High School, where he played baseball and football. He was a standout athlete in both sports and was named the Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year in baseball in 1997. After graduating from high school, Holliday was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the seventh round of the 1998 MLB draft.
Holliday began his professional career in the minor leagues, playing for the Rockies' farm system. He made his MLB debut in 2004 and quickly established himself as one of the team's top players. In 2007, he had a breakout season, hitting .340 with 36 home runs and 137 RBIs. He finished second in the National League MVP voting that year and helped lead the Rockies to their first-ever World Series appearance.
Holliday continued to be a productive player for the Rockies over the next few seasons, earning three All-Star selections and winning three Silver Slugger awards. In 2009, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics, where he played for one season before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Holliday had a successful tenure with the Cardinals, helping the team win the World Series in 2011. He was a key contributor to the team's championship run, hitting .435 in the World Series and driving in two runs in the decisive Game 7. Holliday was also named to the All-Star team four times while playing for the Cardinals.
Injuries began to take a toll on Holliday in the later years of his career, and he struggled to stay healthy. He played for the New York Yankees in 2017 before being released in August of that year. He signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies in 2018 but was released before the start of the season.
Holliday retired from baseball in 2019, finishing his career with a .299 batting average, 316 home runs, and 1,220 RBIs. He was a seven-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger award winner, and won a World Series championship with the Cardinals in 2011.
Off the field, Holliday has been involved in various charitable endeavors throughout his career. He and his wife, Leslee, founded the Holliday Family Foundation, which supports organizations that help children and families in need. Holliday has also been active in supporting military veterans and their families.
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