Eric Burroughs used his speed in HS football, pro baseball

Eric Burroughs took off, his speed helping him to get where he needed to go. Where Burroughs needed to go in this high school contest in 1988 was the end zone.

This was the 1988 Alabama High School Association's Class 3A football playoffs. And, thanks to Burroughs and his five touchdowns, one of them for 76 yards, Burroughs' Thomasville High School moved on, according to The Tuscaloosa News.

Burroughs would soon move on himself, turning pro the next year. But Burroughs would turn pro in a different sport, baseball. His pro career would eventually be credited at six seasons, with a long gap in the middle. He would also never make the majors.

Burroughs' pro career began in 1989, signed by the Reds as an undrafted free agent out of Thomasville High School in Alabama.

With the Reds, Burroughs started in the rookie Gulf Coast League. There, he hit .347 in 29 games, getting 10 RBIs and 7 stolen bases.

For his second season, the 20-year-old Burroughs moved to rookie Billings. At Billings, Burroughs hit .300, knocking in 21 and stealing 9 over 41 games. Burroughs also signed autographs at Billings, at least one for a future magazine writer.

Burroughs' Reds career ended with that second season. He is, however, credited as coming back in independent ball five years later, in 1995. That year, he played at independent Mobile and Spartanburg.

He then continued playing through 1998, at independent Altoona, Catskill and Huntington, ending his career.

In 2010, Burroughs was back at his old high school, watching his son win the state title, according to the Mobile Press-Register. It's the same title Burroughs' Thomasville team went on to win in 1988.

• Tuscaloosa News, Nov. 26, 1988: Thomasville rushes past Lamar County
• Mobile Press-Register, Dec. 4, 2010: Deshler-Thomasville game almost became track meet

More: The 1990 Billings Mustangs

1990 Minor League Tally  
Players/Coaches Featured:1,136
Made the Majors: 664 - 58.5%
Never Made Majors: 472-41.5%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 287
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 173

More 1990 Minor Leaguers:

 - Tim Buhe went from high school title to Northwestern, pros, 5/25/21

 - Scott Bullett had big 1996 night for Cubs, saw 4 ML seasons, 3/7/20

 - Jim Bullinger switched to pitching then made 7 bigs seasons, 1/25/20
 - Eric Bullock chose baseball then made bigs over 7 seasons, 8/13/11

 - Jeff Bumgarner put pressure as top pick, saw 8 pro seasons, 12/31/22

 - Lorenzo Bundy worked on team hitting, then became ML coach, 3/26/14
 - Rich Buonantony's dad pledged to retire if he made bigs, 8/22/15
 - Dave Burba took bright future to 15 major league seasons, 6/23/12
 - Tim Burcham played 10 seasons, proved anxious one spring, 2/12/11

 - Kevin Burdick got dugout broken nose at AAA, missed bigs, 6/13/10