Classic SI Photos of Mike Piazza

The greatest hitting catcher of all time, Mike Piazza, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 24, 2016. Piazza finished his career with a .308 batting average, 427 home runs and 1,335 RBIs in 16 seasons, mostly with the Dodgers and Mets. Here are some classic SI photos of the slugging catcher through the years.

SI Staff | Dec 13, 2012

Classic SI Photos of Mike Piazza /

Classic SI Photos of Mike Piazza

Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda pinches the cheek of his rookie catcher, Mike Piazza, before a game in June 1993.

Roommates Eric Karros and Mike Piazza feed cereal and donuts to a cut-out of Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda in June 1993.

Mike Piazza appears on his first SI cover in July 1993.

Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza appear on this foldout cover of SI in April 1994.

Mike Piazza looks to catch a pop-up during a game against the Giants in April 1996.

Mike Piazza poses with a cigar during this SI photo shoot in May 1996.

Mike Piazza catches a throw to the plate during a game against the Rockies in Sept. 1997.

Mike Piazza appears on the cover of SI following his trade from the Dodgers to the Marlins in May 1998.

Mike Piazza warms up on the field prior to one of his five games played with the Marlins in May 1998.

Mike Piazza attempts to catch a throw to the plate in one of his first games with the Mets in May 1998.

Down 8-1 to the rival Braves, the Mets scored 10 runs in the eighth inning, capped by Mike Piazza's tie-breaking, three-run homer on June 30, 2000.

Mike Piazza takes a pitch off the helmet from Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens in July 2000.

Mike Piazza appears on the cover of SI in Aug. 2000.

Mike Piazza makes a catch in foul territory for an out against the Cardinals in Game 3 of the 2000 NLCS.

Al Leiter and Mike Piazza celebrate after winning Game 5 of the 2000 NLCS against the Cardinals.

Mike Piazza appears on the cover of SI for the Subway Series in Oct. 2000.

Mike Piazza exchanges words with Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens after Clemens threw a broken bat at Piazza during Game 2 of the 2000 World Series.

Mike Piazza sits on a rooftop near the World Trade Center disaster as a plume of smoke comes from the site where the Twin Towers would have stood on Sept. 16, 2001.

Mike Piazza acknowledges the crowd at Shea Stadium after hitting an eighth-inning, game-winning homer against Atlanta to lift the Mets to victory in a game that marked baseball's return to the city for the first time since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 21, 2001.

2001-Mike-Piazza-Brendan-Carroll-mom-Nancy-01243485.jpg — Lynn Johnson

Mike Piazza sits with Brendan and Nancy Carroll, the son and wife of 9/11 fallen firefighter Mike Carroll, in Nov. 2001.

Jerry Seinfeld and Mike Piazza pose together of Seinfeld threw out the first pitch prior to the Mets game against the Yankees in May 2005.

Mike Piazza acknowledges the crowd at Shea Stadium as he steps up to the plate in his first at-bat with the Padres against the Mets on Aug. 8, 2006.

Mike Piazza smiles prior to the Athletics game against the Angels in April 2007.

Mike Piazza looks to catch Tom Seaver's ceremonial first pitch before the Mets' inaugural game at Citi Field against the Padres on April 13, 2009.

Darryl Strawberry and Mike Piazza share a laugh during the 2013 All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball game at Citi Field.

Mike Piazza gets a fist-bump from Zach Parise as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the 2015 All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn.

Published Dec 13, 2012

SI STAFF