Brant Brown
Encyclopedia
Brant Michael Brown is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
. He is currently the hitting coach for the Frisco RoughRiders
.
Brown attended Monache High School
and Fresno State University.
In , Brown was drafted by the Chicago Cubs
in the 3rd round (81st overall). Perhaps he had his best minor league seasons within the first two years of his signing. In his first season, he hit .274. But the next year, he hit .342 with A-Daytona and AA-Orlando. On June 15, 1996, Brown made his major league debut. Brown hit .304 in 69 at bats that season.
Afterwards, Brown bounced around the league, playing with multiple teams. He left the Cubs and played in the Pittsburgh Pirates
, Florida Marlins
, St. Louis Cardinals
, and Milwaukee Brewers
organizations. He returned to the Cubs in , where he played his final Major League game on August 29, 2000.
Brown last played professional baseball was in with the Schaumburg Flyers
of the independent Northern League.
Brown may be most remembered for the error he committed on September 23, 1998 in a game against the Brewers, when he was with the Cubs. In a tie with the New York Mets
for the lead in the NL Wild Card standings with three games remaining, Chicago held a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the 9th inning with two out. Milwaukee was down to its last gasp, but they loaded the bases with Geoff Jenkins
at the plate. Jenkins hit a long fly ball to left field, a routine play for Brown. But with the sunlight distracting him, Brown dropped the ball and let it get past him, allowing three runs to score and giving the Brewers an 8-7 win. This play became famous for the radio call by the Cubs broadcasters Pat Hughes
and Ron Santo
, in which Santo exclaimed, "Nooooooooo!!!!!" when Brown dropped the ball. However, the Cubs would win the Wild Card playoff spot the same year in a playoff at the end of the season against the San Francisco Giants
, making Brown's blunder less severe.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He is currently the hitting coach for the Frisco RoughRiders
Frisco RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are currently the Class AA affiliate of the Texas Rangers major league baseball club. The team plays in the Texas League, assigned to the South Division. Prior to 2003, the franchise was based in Shreveport, Louisiana, and were known as the Shreveport Captains...
.
Brown attended Monache High School
Monache High School
Monache High School is one of the three high schools located in Porterville, California, United States and is part of the Porterville Unified School District...
and Fresno State University.
In , Brown was drafted by the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in the 3rd round (81st overall). Perhaps he had his best minor league seasons within the first two years of his signing. In his first season, he hit .274. But the next year, he hit .342 with A-Daytona and AA-Orlando. On June 15, 1996, Brown made his major league debut. Brown hit .304 in 69 at bats that season.
Afterwards, Brown bounced around the league, playing with multiple teams. He left the Cubs and played in the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, and Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organizations. He returned to the Cubs in , where he played his final Major League game on August 29, 2000.
Brown last played professional baseball was in with the Schaumburg Flyers
Schaumburg Flyers
The Schaumburg Flyers were a professional baseball team based in Schaumburg, Illinois, in the United States. The Flyers were to be a charter member of the North American League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, however, the team folded in March of 2011, before they began play in...
of the independent Northern League.
Brown may be most remembered for the error he committed on September 23, 1998 in a game against the Brewers, when he was with the Cubs. In a tie with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
for the lead in the NL Wild Card standings with three games remaining, Chicago held a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the 9th inning with two out. Milwaukee was down to its last gasp, but they loaded the bases with Geoff Jenkins
Geoff Jenkins
Geoff Jenkins is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers from until and the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008...
at the plate. Jenkins hit a long fly ball to left field, a routine play for Brown. But with the sunlight distracting him, Brown dropped the ball and let it get past him, allowing three runs to score and giving the Brewers an 8-7 win. This play became famous for the radio call by the Cubs broadcasters Pat Hughes
Pat Hughes (baseball)
Vergil Patrick "Pat" Hughes has been the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs, working for WGN radio, since 1996. He partnered with color commentator Ron Santo, former All-Star third baseman for the Cubs from 1996 until 2010, when Santo died of cancer. Their unique on-air chemistry came to be...
and Ron Santo
Ron Santo
Ronald Edward Santo was an American professional baseball player and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive...
, in which Santo exclaimed, "Nooooooooo!!!!!" when Brown dropped the ball. However, the Cubs would win the Wild Card playoff spot the same year in a playoff at the end of the season against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, making Brown's blunder less severe.