“Lou Brock is one of the most respected members of the St. Louis Cardinals Organization and one of the best individuals to wear birds on the bat,” said William DeWitt Jr., CEO and Principal of Cardinals. “He was the game’s ambassador across the country and a fan favorite who has been associated with millions of baseball fans for generations. He will be missed and remembered forever.”
Lou Brock, an ielt fielder, began his career with the Chicago Cubs in 1961 and was traded to the Cardinals in the 1964 season. The team says the Cardinals are the largest trade rank in the franchise history.
As a member of the Cardinals, Brock, a six-time All-Star, won two World Series titles in 1964 and 1967. Brock retired from baseball after the 1979 season, scoring 304 runs at the age of 40. At retirement, he had 3,023 fours and a career-best batting average of 293.
Brock owns a record 938 theft sites from 1971 to 1991, surpassing current record holder Ricky Henderson by 1,406.
“Lou was one of the most exciting players in the game, becoming the fourteenth player in history to reach 3,000 hits. It holds the all-time record for the most base foundations in a season and a career, ”said MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. Known for his outstanding performances in three World Series in his career, Lou was the best representative of our national sport and will be missed.
After retiring, Brock remained active in baseball. In addition to working at the Cardinals’ Broadcast Booth, he has served as base running consultant for the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos. Since 1995 he has served as Special Instructor for Cardinals – Teaching Base Running and Field Totfield Play.
“Lou Brock excelled in the art of the foundation he stole from his 19-year Hall of Fame career and his membership in the Hall was appreciated,” said Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Ted Simmons, Brock’s teammate and fellow Hall of Famer, said he remembers two things about Brock.
“At first it was his lively smile. You can not miss it every time you’ve been in a room with Lou – the biggest, brightest, brightest smile on earth,” Simmons said. “Another, he’s been injured many times, but I never knew he was hurting even once in my life.”
Brock was born on June 18, 1939, in El Dorado, Arkansas, and grew up in Louisiana. Wife: Jacqueline, daughter, Wanda, sons, Lou Jr., Emory, stepfathers Marvin Hay and Jacqueline Means, grandchildren Darian, Olivia, Colston, Spencer and Iris.
“A player like Brock comes once in a generation,” said Brock’s team member and manager Ken Boyer. “If it’s often.”
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