Mark Brouhard

[Michael Trzinski]

Mark Steven Brouhard was born in 1956 in Burbank, California. Brouhard was a three-sport star at El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, starring as a running back/linebacker on the gridiron, a shot putter on the track squad, and a designated hitter/catcher on the baseball team. After playing baseball for two years at Pierce College, Brouhard was selected in the fourth round of the 1976 MLB Amateur Draft (January Draft, Regular Phase) by the California Angels.

Brouhard moved up the Angels chain and in his fourth minor league season, won the Double-A Texas League MVP and Triple Crown (28-107-.350) at El Paso, which at the time was an Angels affiliate. Unbelievably, California left the right-handed slugger unprotected and he was chosen by the Brewers in the 1979 Rule 5 Draft.

By rule, Brouhard stayed on the 1980 Brewers roster all season and appeared in only 45 games, slashing .232/.278/.400 across 125 at-bats. He hit six doubles and five home runs in his first big league campaign.

In 1981, the Brewers made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, albeit in a strike-shortened season. The season was split into halves, with the New York Yankees winning the first half, while the Brewers won the second half. The Brewers lost the best-of-five series to the Yankees, three games to two. Brouhard did not play due to a leg injury. His season totals included a slash line of .274/.305/.371.

The Brewers made it all the way to the World Series in 1982. Even though the Brewers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games, Brouhard became a Brewer folk hero a week earlier when he subbed for injured LF Ben Oglivie and went 3-for-4 with a double, homer, three RBIs, and four runs scored in a 9-5 Game 4 win over California in the ALCS.

Brouhard split time between Milwaukee and Triple-A Vancouver the next three seasons before being purchased by the Yakult Swallows in the Japanese Central League after the 1985 campaign. Brouhard hit 21 home runs in 1986 for Yakult and split the 1987 season between two teams in the Angels organization and one last season for Yakult. In six big league seasons, Brouhard slashed .259/.305/.400 with 235 hits, including 25 HRs.

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