Brian Mark Kowitz | |
---|---|
Outfielder | |
Born: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | August 17, 1969|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
June 4, 1995, for the Atlanta Braves | |
Last MLB appearance | |
June 16, 1995, for the Atlanta Braves | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .167 |
Home runs | 0 |
Runs batted in | 3 |
Teams | |
Brian Mark Kowitz (born August 17,1969) is an American former professional baseball player for the Atlanta Braves,Detroit Tigers,and Toronto Blue Jays from 1990 to 1996.
Kowitz grew up in Baltimore,Maryland,and is married with 3 children- a boy and two girls. He attended Jemicy [1] in 1982 before graduating Boys' Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore,Maryland [2] in 1987,where he competed in varsity football,basketball,and baseball. In 2012,Kowitz was inducted into the BL "Hall of Fame". [3] He is Jewish. [4] [5]
Kowitz was awarded a scholarship to play baseball for Clemson University where he won an ACC Championship,earned All ACC and Academic All American honors,and an ACC Player of the Year award as well as All American honors. [6] He attended Clemson and as a freshman in 1988,Kowitz claimed one of the starting outfield spots for the Tigers and won a dramatic game against the Georgia Bulldogs at home with a blast over the center field wall in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the game. Kowitz was an ACC ALL Tournament Team selection as a freshman. As a sophomore in 1989,Kowitz was named to the ACC ALL Tournament Team and to the second Team All ACC Team. Clemson won the ACC Championship.
As a junior 1990 at Clemson,Kowitz was named ACC Player of the Year as he hit .403 and was among the leaders in NCAA Division I in runs (87,second,first in ACC) and tied for 7th in hits (102,first in ACC). He stole 34 bases (first in ACC) in 66 games and drove in 60 runners. In 1990 Kowitz also lead the ACC in doubles and triples. His 37-game hitting streak was the best in NCAA Division I in 1990. In addition,this amazing hitting streak was the second longest in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) history,as well as second in Clemson history to Hall of Fame (HOF) Rusty Adkins. He was second in the ACC in batting average and made the ACC All-Star team as an outfielder. In addition Kowitz was named to the All Regional Team in Austin TX in their quest to reach the College World Series. Kowitz was also an ACC ALL Tournament Team selection. Baseball America named him as a second-team All-American outfielder. Kowitz had a 37-game hitting streak which was the 2nd-longest in Clemson University's history. [7] In 2019,he was inducted into the Clemson "Hall of Fame". [8]
Kowitz began his minor league career as a left-handed outfielder with the 1990 rookie-league Pulaski Braves. He batted .324/.382/.538 with 13 steals in 43 games. He was 8th in the Appalachian League in average and made the Appalachian All-Star team as an outfielder;he was selected as the 8th-best prospect in the league by the managers. [9]
Before the end of the season,he was promoted to Class AA Greenville. [10] Kowitz started the 1991 season with the Class A Durham Bulls where he hit .254/.303/.353 with 18 steals. He returned to Durham once more in 1992 and posted a .301/.373/.429 line with 22 steals. He was 6th in the Carolina League in average and made the league's All-Star team. He became a regular for the Greenville club in 1993 and batted .278/.363/.378 with 13 steals. He made it to AAA that year with the Richmond Braves and batted .267/.340/.422 for Richmond,scoring 10 runs in 12 games with them.
He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 8th round of the 1990 amateur draft. Kowitz was promoted to the Atlanta Braves on June 3,1995 when All-Star outfielder David Justice was put on the disabled list. Kowitz made his debut the very next day. He was used a pinch hitter in the 5th inning,in a game against the Houston Astros. He doubled down the left-field line for his first at bat,but the Braves lost 6-2. He appeared in only 9 more games,until David Justice returned,then Kowitz returned to Richmond. Kowitz's coach was Ned Yost who later became the head coach for the World Series Champions,Kansas City Royals.
On December 5,1994 he was again drafted by the Minnesota Twins as part of the Rule 5 draft but was sent back to the Braves on April 25 of that year when he failed to stay on 25-man major league roster. [11]
Kowitz signed with the Detroit Tigers in 1996. He played in spring training with the Tigers. He was sent to the Toledo Mud Hens. Kowitz was released in May,and was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays. He finished the year with the Syracuse Chiefs. Kowitz retired from baseball at the end of the 1996 season.
James Edward Key is an American former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Toronto Blue Jays (1984–1992),New York Yankees (1993–1996),and Baltimore Orioles (1997–1998). His best personal years were in 1987,when he posted a 17–8 record with a league-leading 2.76 ERA,and in 1993,when he went 18–6 with a 3.00 ERA and 173 strikeouts. With the Blue Jays,he won the 1992 World Series and with the Yankees,he won the 1996 World Series,both over the Atlanta Braves.
Louis Boudreau,nicknamed "Old Shufflefoot","Handsome Lou",and "the Good Kid",was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 15 seasons,primarily as a shortstop on the Cleveland Indians,and managed four teams for 15 seasons including 10 seasons as a player-manager. He was also a radio announcer for the Chicago Cubs and in college was a dual-sport athlete in baseball and basketball,earning All-American honors in basketball for the University of Illinois.
Adam James Stern is a Canadian former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played for the Boston Red Sox,Baltimore Orioles,and Milwaukee Brewers from 2005 to 2010.
Ronald Mark Blomberg,nicknamed "Boomer",is an American former professional baseball player and minor league manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a designated hitter,first baseman,and right fielder. He played for the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox (1978),and was the manager of the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox in the Israel Baseball League (2007). He was the first designated hitter in Major League Baseball history. He batted left-handed,and threw right-handed.
Brian O'Neal Jordan is an American former professional baseball and professional gridiron football player. Jordan played for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League as a safety from 1989 to 1991,and played for the St. Louis Cardinals,Atlanta Braves,Los Angeles Dodgers,and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1992 to 2006. Jordan was an MLB All-Star in 1999.
Jeffrey Braden Francoeur,nicknamed "Frenchy",is an American former professional baseball right fielder,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves,New York Mets,Texas Rangers,Kansas City Royals,San Francisco Giants,San Diego Padres,Philadelphia Phillies,and Miami Marlins. When his playing days ended,he became a broadcaster;Francoeur is currently the lead television analyst for Atlanta Braves games.
Richard Louis Sharon is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1973 to 1975 for the Detroit Tigers and the San Diego Padres.
Jeffrey Lynn Newman is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. Newman was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 26th round of the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his MLB debut in 1976. He was an All Star in 1979. He served as the interim manager of the Oakland Athletics in 1986.
Ralph Allen Garr,nicknamed "Road Runner",is an American former professional baseball player,scout,and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1968 through 1980 —most notably as a member of the Atlanta Braves —and eventually with the Chicago White Sox and California Angels.
John Maywood Grubb,Jr. is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter,who also occasionally played at first base. He played with the San Diego Padres (1972–1976),Cleveland Indians (1977–1978),Texas Rangers (1978–1982),and the Detroit Tigers (1983–1987).
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones Jr. is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves from 1993 to 2012. The Braves chose Jones with the first overall pick in the 1990 MLB draft. He was also a member of their 1995 World Series championship team that beat the Cleveland Indians. An eight-time All-Star,Jones won the 1999 National League (NL) Most Valuable Player Award and the 1999 and 2000 NL Silver Slugger Award for third basemen. He was the MLB batting champion in 2008 after hitting .364.
Morris Arnovich nicknamed "Snooker",was an American baseball player. Arnovich played in Major League Baseball between 1936 and 1946 and played in the World Series winning team in 1940 as a part of the Cincinnati Reds. Playing as a line drive hitter,and fielding as an outfielder he began in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1936 where he played four seasons before joining the Reds for a season. After his time in Cincinnati,he joined the New York Giants for the 1941 season,and again for one game in 1946 after joining the United States Army.
Joel Edward Horlen was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1961 to 1972 for the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics. In references,he is called Joe Horlen or Joel Horlen with roughly equal frequency.
Richard Alan Scheinblum,nicknamed "Shane",was an American professional Major League Baseball (MLB) player.
Frederic William Sington was an American football and baseball player. Sington was also an accomplished saxophonist. Sington was born in Birmingham,Alabama,and was Jewish. He attended Phillips High School.
Shane Hartland Monahan is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter. He played his entire career for the Seattle Mariners (1998–99). He is a graduate of Joseph Wheeler High School in Marietta,Georgia and attended Clemson University. Monahan now lives in South Carolina. Monahan is arguably one of the top 5 greatest Clemson Tiger baseball players ever.
Norman Calvin Miller is an American former professional baseball player who played outfielder in the Major Leagues from 1965 to 1974 for the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves. Later in his career he served in the Astros' front office.
Kyle James Parker is an American former professional baseball left fielder. Parker was highly regarded during his prep career as both a baseball and football player and chose to attend Clemson University to play both sports. After redshirting during his freshman season,Parker spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons as the starting quarterback for the Clemson Tigers football team. He was also an integral part of the school's baseball team. Parker was drafted by the Colorado Rockies as the 26th overall pick in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft and made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with them in 2014.
Steven Michael Duggar,nicknamed Duggy,is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants,Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels. Duggar played college baseball at Clemson University,and was drafted in the sixth round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft by the Giants. He made his MLB debut in 2018.
Tyler Bram Krieger is an American former professional switch-hitting baseball second baseman and outfielder.