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9/27/2025 2:15:00 PM | Baseball, "B" Association
HOF: Durbin was part of “amazing teams” that came up just short of the World Series
This is the third in a series of stories profiling this year's inductees for the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame, which will be posted every week at BaylorBears.com.
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Coming out of Wylie (Texas) High School, Chris Durbin wasn't expecting to have much of an impact as a freshman at Baylor in 2000.
Instead, he platooned in left field with Steve Dorneman and hit .288 with six doubles, three home runs and 16 RBIs for a 45-win team that won the Big 12 championship and advanced to the first of four-consecutive NCAA regionals.
"Honestly, I didn't know how big it was, because I was a young teenager," said Durbin, part of the 2025 Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame class that will be honored Nov. 14. "I was like, 'Oh, it's the Big 12, it's kind of like winning district.' I remember those words coming out of my mouth to one of my teammates. And he said, 'Hey, you idiot, we just won the conference.' But I was young and dumb."
That memorable freshman season was just the start of a record-setting career for Durbin, who remains the all-time career leader in doubles (79) and extra-base hits (130), second in runs (236) and total bases (529) and top 10 in home runs (41), RBIs (169) and slugging percentage (.594).
"My senior year, man, we had an amazing team," said Durbin, a third-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 pick that season, when he hit .346 with 18 homers and 50 RBIs. "That's probably the most fun I've ever had. (David Murph), Josh Ford, (Michael) Griffin and Paul Witt, a lot of the guys that went to the World Series in 2005. We went out with a bang; we just couldn't pull it through to get to the World Series that year. But it was a great experience."
Lightly recruited out of Wylie High School, Durbin said he "didn't have any big offers" as a senior, his only Division I interest coming from TCU. He had signed with Grayson Community College and then-head coach Tim Tadlock before getting late interest from Baylor and Texas.
On a day when the Baylor coaches were actually there to look at Highland Park pitcher Zane Carlson, a future teammate, "I had a great game, and it kind of opened the coaches' eyes." He was already committed to the Bears when UT asked him to make a recruiting trip to Austin, "and I kind of ruffled some feathers with coach (Mitch) Thompson."
"They gave me 24 hours to make a decision, and I ultimately went ahead and followed through and signed with Baylor," he said. "And that was probably the best decision I made, for sure. That year, we won the Big 12. And then my sophomore year, Texas won the World Series. But I wouldn't change it for the world."
One of Durbin's best Baylor memories came during his sophomore season in 2001, when the Bears overcame a nine-run deficit in the last two innings to upset eighth-ranked Rice, 11-10, in the Houston Regional.
"I remember being out there in the outfield with David Murphy and saying, 'Man, we're going to win this game. Just watch. I'm going to go up there next inning, lead it off, and you're going to follow it up,''' said Durbin, who led off the eighth and ninth innings with doubles. "And that's exactly what we did. It's one of those things that just shows you, never give up, always keep fighting. And we ended up winning."
Bookending his career with another 45-win season in 2003, Durbin helped the Bears win the Hattiesburg Regional and come within a game of the World Series. Batting out of the leadoff spot, Durbin went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI in a 4-1 win over seventh-ranked LSU in the opening game of the Super Regional at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge.
"LSU was one of the most fun places to play, playing in front of 6,000 to 8,000 fans," Durbin said. "I never made it to the big leagues, but I played three exhibition games with the Red Sox against the Philadelphia Phillies. Playing in that atmosphere is something I had never experienced before (the LSU game). And it was the most exciting time."
The Tigers came back to win two elimination games, including hitting a pair of eighth-inning homers to take Game 2, 6-5, and advanced to the World Series.
"In the third game, I think we just ran out of pitching a little bit and couldn't pull it through," Durbin said. "That's one of those heartbreaking seasons, because I knew we had what it took to get there. Things just didn't work out for us."
A 10th-round draft pick by the Red Sox in 2003, Durbin played four years in the minors, including his last two with Double-A Portland. A career .267 hitter, he opted to retire during spring training in 2007, when he was likely going to start at Triple-A Pawtucket.
"I had been praying about it for probably a good month before I made that final decision to walk away," he said. "The day before, I hit a home run off Jonathan Papelbon. If I can't get excited about that, then why am I here? I also knew I was behind Manny Ramirez, JD Drew and Coco Crisp. And then, you had Murphy, me and Jacoby Elsbury. There were just a lot of good outfielders, and I didn't feel like I was going to have an opportunity to get there.
"Once you get into pro ball, you're playing to get to the big leagues. You're playing because you love the game, but you're also playing for a career. And having a family, it just changed my mindset, I guess, and I wasn't having fun. That's why I ended up leaving."
After a brief banking career and 12 years with the Grand Prairie Police Department, Durbin got into the roofing business and does home renovations and repairs on the side. He has three sons, Taylor, 20; Braydon, 17; and Zach, 14.
"It's really a humbling experience," he said of the Hall of Fame. "First off, to be recognized by Baylor and being inducted into the Hall of Fame. It's something I wasn't expecting, this year for sure. I'm just really excited to come down and see Coach Thompson again. I'm just thrilled."
Joining Durbin in the 2025 Baylor Hall of Fame class are football's Bryce Petty, Cyril Richardson and Derek Turner, women's golfer Hannah Burke, equestrian's Samantha Schaefer, LaceDarius Dunn from men's basketball and Taylor Ormond from women's tennis. Additionally, former football team manager Dusty Sanderson is being added to the Wall of Honor.
The 2025 Hall of Fame banquet is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, in the Hurd Welcome Center Grand Ballroom on the Baylor University campus. Registration is available here.
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Coming out of Wylie (Texas) High School, Chris Durbin wasn't expecting to have much of an impact as a freshman at Baylor in 2000.
Instead, he platooned in left field with Steve Dorneman and hit .288 with six doubles, three home runs and 16 RBIs for a 45-win team that won the Big 12 championship and advanced to the first of four-consecutive NCAA regionals.
"Honestly, I didn't know how big it was, because I was a young teenager," said Durbin, part of the 2025 Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame class that will be honored Nov. 14. "I was like, 'Oh, it's the Big 12, it's kind of like winning district.' I remember those words coming out of my mouth to one of my teammates. And he said, 'Hey, you idiot, we just won the conference.' But I was young and dumb."
That memorable freshman season was just the start of a record-setting career for Durbin, who remains the all-time career leader in doubles (79) and extra-base hits (130), second in runs (236) and total bases (529) and top 10 in home runs (41), RBIs (169) and slugging percentage (.594).
"My senior year, man, we had an amazing team," said Durbin, a third-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 pick that season, when he hit .346 with 18 homers and 50 RBIs. "That's probably the most fun I've ever had. (David Murph), Josh Ford, (Michael) Griffin and Paul Witt, a lot of the guys that went to the World Series in 2005. We went out with a bang; we just couldn't pull it through to get to the World Series that year. But it was a great experience."
Lightly recruited out of Wylie High School, Durbin said he "didn't have any big offers" as a senior, his only Division I interest coming from TCU. He had signed with Grayson Community College and then-head coach Tim Tadlock before getting late interest from Baylor and Texas.
On a day when the Baylor coaches were actually there to look at Highland Park pitcher Zane Carlson, a future teammate, "I had a great game, and it kind of opened the coaches' eyes." He was already committed to the Bears when UT asked him to make a recruiting trip to Austin, "and I kind of ruffled some feathers with coach (Mitch) Thompson."
"They gave me 24 hours to make a decision, and I ultimately went ahead and followed through and signed with Baylor," he said. "And that was probably the best decision I made, for sure. That year, we won the Big 12. And then my sophomore year, Texas won the World Series. But I wouldn't change it for the world."
One of Durbin's best Baylor memories came during his sophomore season in 2001, when the Bears overcame a nine-run deficit in the last two innings to upset eighth-ranked Rice, 11-10, in the Houston Regional.
"I remember being out there in the outfield with David Murphy and saying, 'Man, we're going to win this game. Just watch. I'm going to go up there next inning, lead it off, and you're going to follow it up,''' said Durbin, who led off the eighth and ninth innings with doubles. "And that's exactly what we did. It's one of those things that just shows you, never give up, always keep fighting. And we ended up winning."
Bookending his career with another 45-win season in 2003, Durbin helped the Bears win the Hattiesburg Regional and come within a game of the World Series. Batting out of the leadoff spot, Durbin went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI in a 4-1 win over seventh-ranked LSU in the opening game of the Super Regional at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge.
"LSU was one of the most fun places to play, playing in front of 6,000 to 8,000 fans," Durbin said. "I never made it to the big leagues, but I played three exhibition games with the Red Sox against the Philadelphia Phillies. Playing in that atmosphere is something I had never experienced before (the LSU game). And it was the most exciting time."
The Tigers came back to win two elimination games, including hitting a pair of eighth-inning homers to take Game 2, 6-5, and advanced to the World Series.
"In the third game, I think we just ran out of pitching a little bit and couldn't pull it through," Durbin said. "That's one of those heartbreaking seasons, because I knew we had what it took to get there. Things just didn't work out for us."
A 10th-round draft pick by the Red Sox in 2003, Durbin played four years in the minors, including his last two with Double-A Portland. A career .267 hitter, he opted to retire during spring training in 2007, when he was likely going to start at Triple-A Pawtucket.
"I had been praying about it for probably a good month before I made that final decision to walk away," he said. "The day before, I hit a home run off Jonathan Papelbon. If I can't get excited about that, then why am I here? I also knew I was behind Manny Ramirez, JD Drew and Coco Crisp. And then, you had Murphy, me and Jacoby Elsbury. There were just a lot of good outfielders, and I didn't feel like I was going to have an opportunity to get there.
"Once you get into pro ball, you're playing to get to the big leagues. You're playing because you love the game, but you're also playing for a career. And having a family, it just changed my mindset, I guess, and I wasn't having fun. That's why I ended up leaving."
After a brief banking career and 12 years with the Grand Prairie Police Department, Durbin got into the roofing business and does home renovations and repairs on the side. He has three sons, Taylor, 20; Braydon, 17; and Zach, 14.
"It's really a humbling experience," he said of the Hall of Fame. "First off, to be recognized by Baylor and being inducted into the Hall of Fame. It's something I wasn't expecting, this year for sure. I'm just really excited to come down and see Coach Thompson again. I'm just thrilled."
Joining Durbin in the 2025 Baylor Hall of Fame class are football's Bryce Petty, Cyril Richardson and Derek Turner, women's golfer Hannah Burke, equestrian's Samantha Schaefer, LaceDarius Dunn from men's basketball and Taylor Ormond from women's tennis. Additionally, former football team manager Dusty Sanderson is being added to the Wall of Honor.
The 2025 Hall of Fame banquet is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, in the Hurd Welcome Center Grand Ballroom on the Baylor University campus. Registration is available here.
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