Braden LaVern Looper is a Major League Baseball pitcher who was born on October 28, 1974 in Weatherford, OK.
Looper was a scholar/athelete while a student at Mangum High School. He graduated in 1993 with four letters each in baseball and basketball and two in football while also a member of the National Honor Society. He focused on baseball while attending Wichita State University and was inducted into their sports Hall of Fame in 2003. In 1996, he competed in the College World Series and was a first-team All-American as a junior. He was also a member of the bronze medal-winning Team USA in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Looper was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals as the third pick in the first round of the 1996 amateur draft. He made his major league debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 31, 1998, striking out the side in a relief appearance. After the 1998 season, he was traded to the Florida Marlins for shortstop Edgar Renteria.
Looper enjoyed success with the Marlins, working his way into the role of a closer. However, toward the end of the 2003 season, as the Marlins were in a pennant race that culminated in a World Series win, Looper faltered somewhat and was replaced as closer by Ugueth Urbina.
In Janaury, 2004, Looper signed with the New York Mets as a free agent and had his best season to date going 2-5 with 29 saves and a 2.70 ERA.
Looper is married with two children and resides in Palos Heights, IL.
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