# Sam Khalifa

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**Sam Khalifa** (born December 5, 1963) is an American former professional [baseball](/source/Baseball) player. An [infielder](/source/Infielder), Khalifa played in [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) (MLB) for the [Pittsburgh Pirates](/source/Pittsburgh_Pirates) from 1985 through 1987. The first (and to date, only) practicing [Muslim](/source/Muslim) to play in the majors, he retired from baseball when his father, Islamic scholar [Rashad Khalifa](/source/Rashad_Khalifa), was murdered in 1990.[1][2]

## Early life

Khalifa was born in [Fontana, California](/source/Fontana,_California),[2][3] while his father, [Rashad Khalifa](/source/Rashad_Khalifa), obtained a [Ph.D in Biochemistry](/source/Ph.D_in_Biochemistry) at the [University of California, Riverside](/source/University_of_California,_Riverside).[4] As a child, he relocated to the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East) on two occasions. When he was a few months old, his family moved to [Alexandria](/source/Alexandria), [Egypt](/source/Egypt), where his father worked for the [Egyptian government](/source/Egyptian_government). After three years in Egypt, the Khalifas moved to [St. Louis](/source/St._Louis), [Missouri](/source/Missouri), where they lived for seven years.[5] They then moved to [Tripoli](/source/Tripoli,_Libya), [Libya](/source/Libya), as his father consulted for the [Libyan government](/source/Libyan_government) for a year.[4][5] Then, his family moved to [Tucson, Arizona](/source/Tucson,_Arizona).[5]

## Career

Khalifa attended [Sahuaro High School](/source/Sahuaro_High_School) in Tucson. For the school's football team he played quarterback and was named All-City by the Arizona Daily Star. He received several Division I football scholarship offers to play quarterback. He also played [shortstop](/source/Shortstop) on the school's baseball team, which won the Class 5A state championship, defeating [Phoenix Brophy High School](/source/Phoenix_Brophy_High_School).[4][6] He was named the Arizona High school Player of the Year in 1982 and also selected to the 1982 All American Baseball Team.

Khalifa was chosen by the [Pittsburgh Pirates](/source/Pittsburgh_Pirates) as the seventh overall selection in the [1982 Major League Baseball draft](/source/1982_Major_League_Baseball_draft).[7] Though he signed a [letter of intent](/source/Letter_of_intent) to attend [Arizona State University](/source/Arizona_State_University), Khalifa signed with the Pirates, receiving a $100,000 [signing bonus](/source/Signing_bonus).[4] In 1982, he played for the [Gulf Coast Pirates](/source/Gulf_Coast_Pirates) of the [Rookie-level](/source/Rookie-level) [Gulf Coast League](/source/Gulf_Coast_League) (GCL) and the [Greenwood Pirates](/source/Greenwood_Pirates) of the [Class A](/source/Class_A_(baseball)) [South Atlantic League](/source/South_Atlantic_League). In 48 [games played](/source/Games_played) for Greenwood, Khalifa had a .305 [batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball)).[8] He played six games for the GCL Pirates.[9] In 1983, he played for the [Alexandria Dukes](/source/Alexandria_Dukes) of the Class A [Carolina League](/source/Carolina_League) and made the All Star team, batting .270 in 103 games,[10] and received five games of playing time for the [Lynn Sailors](/source/Lynn_Sailors) of the [Class AA](/source/Class_AA) [Eastern League](/source/Eastern_League_(1938%E2%80%932020)).[11]

Khalifa spent the 1984 season with the [Nashua Pirates](/source/Nashua_Pirates) of the Eastern League in 1984. He batted .238 in Nashua in 91 games, as he missed playing time when he fractured his wrist on two occasions.[5][12] Pirates' [manager](/source/Manager_(baseball)) [Chuck Tanner](/source/Chuck_Tanner) wanted Khalifa to begin the 1985 season as a member of the Pirates' major league roster, but [Pete Peterson](/source/Pete_Peterson), the Pirates' [general manager](/source/General_manager_(baseball)), decided that Khalifa needed to spend time in [Class AAA](/source/Class_AAA) before he would be ready for the major leagues.[5] Khalifa started the 1985 season with the [Hawaii Islanders](/source/Hawaii_Islanders) of the Class AAA [Pacific Coast League](/source/Pacific_Coast_League),[13] and after batting .282 for the Islanders, he made his MLB debut on June 25, 1985, replacing the injured [Johnnie LeMaster](/source/Johnnie_LeMaster), becoming the sixth player to start for the Pirates at shortstop during the 1985 season. The Pirates began the season with [Tim Foli](/source/Tim_Foli) and [Rafael Belliard](/source/Rafael_Belliard). Foli received his release, while Belliard had been demoted to Hawaii. [Jerry Dybzinski](/source/Jerry_Dybzinski) received one game at shortstop for the Pirates, who was followed by [Bill Almon](/source/Bill_Almon), and the trade acquisition of LeMaster from the [Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Indians).[5]

Khalifa recorded six [hits](/source/Hit_(baseball)) in his first eleven [at-bats](/source/At-bat). In his rookie season, he had a .238 batting average across 95 games played. In 1986, Khalifa [platooned](/source/Platoon_system) at shortstop with [Rafael Belliard](/source/Rafael_Belliard), as Khalifa struggled, batting .185. He was sent down to the minor leagues, and [Jay Bell](/source/Jay_Bell) solidified himself as the Pirates' starting shortstop.[4] Khalifa played for the [Vancouver Canadiens](/source/Vancouver_Canadiens) of the Pacific Coast League in 1987.[14] He split the 1988 season with the [Harrisburg Senators](/source/Harrisburg_Senators) of the Eastern League and the [Buffalo Bisons](/source/Buffalo_Bisons) of the Class AAA [International League](/source/International_League).[15] He again played for Buffalo in 1989. One day, he was five minutes late for the team bus, it left without him, and he returned home to Tucson.[6]

[Joe L. Brown](/source/Joe_L._Brown), the former general manager of the Pirates, arranged a tryout for Khalifa with the [San Diego Padres](/source/San_Diego_Padres) in 1990.[4] Khalifa quit baseball without attending the tryout following the murder of his father.[4] He played 164 games across three seasons in the majors, most as a [shortstop](/source/Shortstop). His primary historical importance arises from his status as the first man of [Egyptian](/source/Egypt) descent to play major league baseball.[6] He ended his career with a .219 batting average,[6] a .294 [on-base percentage](/source/On-base_percentage), and a .285 [slugging percentage](/source/Slugging_percentage).

## Personal life

Khalifa's father, [Rashad Khalifa](/source/Rashad_Khalifa), was murdered on January 31, 1990. Islamic extremists opposed to his teachings were connected to it.[16] [Trinidad and Tobago](/source/Trinidad_and_Tobago) national Glen Cusford Francis was arrested in [Calgary](/source/Calgary) on April 28, 2009, in connection with the elder Khalifa's murder.[17] Francis was convicted of Khalifa's murder.[6]

Khalifa is no longer involved with professional baseball. He currently[when?] resides in [Tucson, Arizona](/source/Tucson,_Arizona), where he purchased his parents' house. He coaches both baseball and football at [Sahuaro High School](/source/Sahuaro_High_School). [citation needed]

## References

1. ["Constable: Ali in boxing, Kareem in NBA. But baseball's greatest Muslim player is ..."](https://www.dailyherald.com/20160609/news/constable-ali-in-boxing-kareem-in-nba-but-baseballs-greatest-muslim-player-is/). Daily Herald. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2025.

1. Brownfield, Paul (2013-01-01). ["Briefly a Rising Star, Forever a Mourning Son"](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/sports/baseball/sam-khalifa-briefly-a-rising-star-forever-a-mourning-son.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN 0362-4331](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2025-03-30.

1. ["In The Month Of Ramadan, We Honor Sam Khalifa - TDS NEWS"](https://www.thedailyscrumnews.com/in-the-month-of-ramadan-we-honor-sam-khalifa/). *www.thedailyscrumnews.com*. 2024-03-20. Retrieved 2025-03-30.

1. [Brownfield, Paul. "Briefly a Rising Star, Forever a Mourning Son," *The New York Times*, January 2, 2013.](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/sports/baseball/sam-khalifa-briefly-a-rising-star-forever-a-mourning-son.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)

1. Feeney, Charles (June 25, 1985). ["The future is now: Khalifa becomes sixth shortstop to start for Bucs in 1985"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=J9hRAAAAIBAJ&pg=2938,6386858&dq=sam-khalifa&hl=en). *[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](/source/Pittsburgh_Post-Gazette)*. p. 19. Retrieved August 9, 2013.

1. ["Help Center - the Arizona Republic"](http://www.azcentral.com/sports/preps/articles/20130314years-after-tragedy-sam-khalifa-back-in-game.html)

1. ["1982 Major League Baseball Draft, Rounds 1–10 – Pro Sports Transactions"](http://prosportstransactions.com/baseball/DraftTrades/1982-1-10.htm). Prosportstransactions.com. 1982-11-20. Retrieved 2013-08-09.

1. ["1982 Greenwood Pirates Statistics – Minor Leagues"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=0ce37d4e). Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-08-09.

1. ["1982 GCL Pirates Statistics – Minor Leagues"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=71571a6a). Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-08-09.

1. ["1983 Alexandria Dukes Statistics – Minor Leagues"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=4ef4a5de). Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-08-09.

1. ["1983 Lynn Sailors Statistics – Minor Leagues"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=a11fbea9). Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-08-09.

1. ["1984 Nashua Pirates Statistics – Minor Leagues"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=370c4bed). Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-08-09.

1. ["1985 Hawaii Islanders Statistics – Minor Leagues"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=b0e31364). Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-08-09.

1. ["1987 Vancouver Canadians Statistics - Minor Leagues"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=41b61517). Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-08-13.

1. ["1988 Harrisburg Senators Statistics – Minor Leagues"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=f859d1f1). Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-08-13.

1. ["Terrorists Take To Arizona"](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/terrorists-take-to-arizona/). CBS Worldwide Inc. 2001-10-26. Retrieved 2009-02-18. El-Hage has also been connected to the 1990 stabbing death of a Tucson mosque leader. Rashad Khalifa was hated by Muslim extremists opposed to his teachings

1. ["Sagara, Eric. "Man arrested in '90 slaying of controversial religious leader at local mosque." *Tucson Citizen*, Wednesday, April 29, 2009"](http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2009/04/29/115381-man-arrested-in-90-slaying-of-controversial-religious-leader-at-local-mosque/). Tucsoncitizen.com. 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2013-08-09.

## External links

- [Sammy Khalifa](http://sammykhalifa.8m.com) Fan site

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sam Khalifa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Khalifa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Khalifa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.