Editing Cliff Floyd (section)

==Early years==
Floyd was born to parents Cornelius Clifford Floyd Sr. and Olivia Floyd. After spending 13 years as an only child, Floyd was joined by brother Julius. Sister Shanta was later adopted when the Floyds noticed her as a six-year-old classmate of Julius' who had been troublesome for her then adoptive parents. The three siblings were raised in [[Markham, Illinois]], a small suburb southwest of Chicago. Floyd's father, a former member of the [[United States Marine Corps]], worked double shifts at a [[U.S. Steel]] plant in Chicago to allow the family to live in a safe and stable neighborhood.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bamberger|first1=Michael|date=August 20, 2001|title=Cliff Notes: His body healthy at last and his mind clear--at least most of the time--Cliff Floyd is having a career year for the resurgent Marlins|url=https://www.si.com/vault/2001/08/20/8117078/cliff-notes-his-body-healthy-at-last-and-his-mind-clearat-least-most-of-the-timecliff-floyd-is-having-a-career-year-for-the-resurgent-marlins|url-status=live|access-date=April 8, 2006|website=SI.com|publisher=[[Sports Illustrated]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824233032/https://www.si.com/vault/2001/08/20/8117078/cliff-notes-his-body-healthy-at-last-and-his-mind-clearat-least-most-of-the-timecliff-floyd-is-having-a-career-year-for-the-resurgent-marlins |archive-date=2019-08-24 }}</ref>

At [[Thornwood High School]] in [[South Holland, Illinois]], Floyd was a three-sport star in [[baseball]], [[American football|football]], and [[basketball]]. In basketball, he led his high school to the Class AA Sectional Playoffs. He [[batting average (baseball)|hit]] .508 with 130 [[Run batted in|RBI]] during the final two years of his high school career and led his team to the Illinois Class AA state baseball championship as a senior. He was heavily recruited by [[Arizona State Sun Devils baseball|Arizona State University]], [[Stanford Cardinal baseball|Stanford]], and [[Creighton Bluejays baseball|Creighton University]] and signed a [[letter of intent]] to play for head coach [[Jim Hendry]] at Creighton.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Botte|first1=Peter|date=November 20, 2004|title=Mets Eye Deal For Johnson (Nick)|language=en|work=[[NY Daily News]]|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/mets-eye-deal-johnson-nick-article-1.562209|access-date=November 15, 2017}}</ref> However, when the [[Montreal Expos]] drafted him as the 14th pick in the 1st round of the [[1991 Major League Baseball draft]], Floyd chose to go to the minor leagues.