Baseball legend Lou Brock died at 81 on September 6, 2020. America has lost the second Hall of Fame baseball player within six days of losing Tom Seaver. Brock is known as one of the four players in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB) to have 900 stolen bases to his credit. Tom Seaver and Lou Brock were connected to each other in more than one ways and here are some insights.
Both Brock and Seaver had the same nickname due to their performances. Both were called The Franchise. However, the first encounter between Brock and Seaver was quite intense as it was more of a confrontation than meeting. Brock was a regular at Cooperstown during Hall of Fame festivities. During All-Star Game at Anaheim Stadium in 1967 Brock saw Seaver (who was then 22 years old) walking into the National League clubhouse for his first Midsummer Classic.
Lou Brock VS Tom Seaver
Not knowing who he was Brock asked Seaver to get beverages. "Hey kid, get me a Coke," Brocks had asked Seaver. To this, Seaver had replied "Get your own bleeping coke. I'm on the team." This was the first meeting between the two legends as revealed by Seaver of New York Mets during an 2014 interview with SNY.
Records claim that Seaver and Brock faced each other 157 times. Brock recorded 38-for-152 (.250) with 10 doubles, two triples and a home run. Seaver struck out Brock 21 times and walked him four times. Brock, with 3,023 career hits, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1985 and Seaver was erected into the Hall of Fame museum in 1992.
5 Lesser-known Facts about Lou Brock
1) Brock's left leg was amputated below knee in October 2015. The leg had to be removed because of an infection caused by his diabetic condition.
2) On April 13, 2017, Brock announced that he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma [blood cancer in the bone marrow's plasma cells]. In July 2017 after treatment, Brock had said that the doctors had assured him that the Cancer was gone.
3) Brock played a total of 19 MLB seasons. Out of this he played 16 seasons with the Cardinals team. Brock clocked the top-25 of voting for the National League MVP in St. Louis for six straight seasons.
4) Brock is one of the top-five players in the Cardinal's all-time record lists for doubles, triples and total bases. Brock with uniform No. 20 retired from active baseball in 1979.
5) Brock was ordained as the minister of Abundant Life Fellowship Church in St. Louis. He was also a director on the board of YTB International, a multi-level marketing business offering travel, excursions, and lodging.
