Danny Brock has always loved the game of baseball. The senior first baseman for the Saint Louis University Billikens dabbled in other sports, like basketball (“I’m not tall enough”) and golf, but somehow found his way back to the diamond each spring. For Brock, baseball was more than just a game; it’s part of the family legacy.
In 1982, Greg Brock made his Major League debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers as a first baseman. He would play that position for 10 years at the Major League level, five for the Dodgers and five for the Milwaukee Brewers. He finished his career batting .310; with 110 home runs and 462 RBIs.
“I grew up around the game,” Brock said. “I chose baseball because it’s what I wanted to do more than anything.”
And in his second year with the Billikens (19-19, 7-5), Brock is doing it well. He’s batting .378 and has 53 RBIs; his RBI total leads the Atlantic 10 Conference and his homerun total, 13, is good for second. That’s a stark contrast to last season when he hit just two balls over the wall and drove in a measly 38 runs.
“I’m seeing the ball well … I started the season well, and it’s still rolling over,” Brock said. “I’m trying to win games. I’ve gotten smarter, understand the pitching better. I went to a tough summer league, and that helped me a lot.”
It hass also caught the eye of Major League scouts.
The Loveland, Colo. native came to SLU after playing two years for Northeastern Colorado Community College. His role there was similar to the one here: rebuild a struggling ballclub into a perennial contender. Though NECC is still in the building process, Brock did his part. The first baseman was a two-time All-Region and All-Conference selection and led the team in batting average. He came to SLU for all the right reasons.
“I liked the situation, wanted to get away from home a little bit, and it’s worked out well for me,” Brock said. “I knew when I came here that it was a building program. I came here with the idea that when I left here, the program would be better off.”
It’s well on its way.
He also wins praise from his coach, Darin Hendrickson. “He has a great baseball IQ and has instincts that you can’t teach. College athletics needs to get more kids like
