DI/SWAC/Baseball
Southern University Sports Information
During last week’s 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star game in Cincinnati, former Southern University legend Lou Brock was announced as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals’ ‘Franchise Four.’
According to MLB.com, Franchise Four winners were selected from a list of eight nominees from each franchise as chosen by official MLB historian John Thorn plus representatives from the Elias Sports Bureau, MLB.com, MLB Network and the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Brock joined fellow Cardinals Bob Gipson, Rogers Hornsby and Stan Musial during the pregame festivities as the Franchise Four from all 30 franchises. Three other foursome – Greatest Living Players, Greatest Negro League Players and Greatest Pioneers – were also honored.
Brock attended high school in Mer Rouge and enjoyed a stellar three-year career as member of the Jaguar baseball program. As a junior, Brock helped lead a star-studded team to a NAIA National Championship in 1959.
Lou Brock signed with the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent in 1960 before making his big league debut on September 10, 1961. The Cubs traded Brock on June 15, 1964, to the Cardinals where the Arkansas native would help the St. Louis to three World Series appearances in the 60s.
Brock played 19 seasons in the majors before retiring with 3023 career hits, 149 home runs, 900 runs batted in, and 938 stolen bases. At the time of his retirement, Brock, a six time all-star, held the career record in stolen bases.