SAN DIEGO _ The Padres played an unintentionally supportive role in the Hall of Fame career of the recently deceased Lou Brock, and not only because when Brock surpassed Ty Cobb as baseball's stolen base king in August 1977, it happened at San Diego Stadium.
In 121 games against him, the Padres allowed Brock a .384 on-base percentage that was his best against the 11 clubs he faced.
Brock was a good hitter but resembled Tony Gwynn when the Padres visited St. Louis by batting .379 in 235 at-bats at Busch Stadium.
Even for a baseball thief as plunderous as Brock _ who averaged 65 stolen bases yearly across a 12-season run within his 19-year career _ it was impossible to steal a base without getting on base.
No doubt Brock, who had 61 steals against San Diego, succeeding at a 83.6-percent rate, welcomed clubs in San Diego and Montreal joining the National Leagues in 1969. He was in his ninth season, soon to turn 30.
A year later he batted .444/.500/.648 in 12 games against the Padres. His on-base rate in 519 plate appearances versus San Diego was 41 points above the .343 for his career.
Aging well in his 30s, Brock batted .298 en route to amassing 3,000 career hits and breaking Cobb's 49-year-old-record .
He trailed Cobb by one base when he faced the Padres on Aug. 29, 1977. Running on the first pitch each time, he tied and broke Cobb's record against the battery of Dave Freisleben and catcher Dave Roberts. "You have to learn to play in pain, you have to want to steal, you have to be daring and you have to go out there and challenge people," said Brock, then 38,.
