Since 1920, no left-handed batter has enjoyed a better 10-game hitting stretch to start a season than Lou Brock.
In 2012, the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp joined Willie Mays of the 1964 Giants, Lou Brock of the 1967 Cardinals and Dante Bichette of the 1994 Rockies as the only big-league players since 1920 with at least six home runs, 16 RBI and a .450 batting average through the first 10 games of a season, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Of the four, Brock is the only left-handed batter.
Brock, batting leadoff and playing left field, hit .451 with six homers and 16 RBI through 10 games of the 1967 season.
Reporting for The Sporting News, Neal Russo wrote:
Lou Brock likes to refer to his initials, L.B., as standing for Long Ball. The Cardinals outfielder wasn’t kidding as he went into orbit the first week of the new season.
The Cardinals played the Giants, Dodgers and Astros in the first 10 games. Six of the 10 starting pitchers Brock faced in that stretch would be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He faced the Giants’ Juan Marichal and the Dodgers’ Don Sutton twice apiece and the Giants’ Gaylord Perry and the Dodgers’ Don Drysdale once each.
Brock produced eight RBI with hits in seven consecutive at-bats over two games April 15-16.
On April 15, Brock was 4-for-6 with two home runs and five RBI in the Cardinals’ 13-4 victory over the Dodgers at St. Louis. After Brock was retired in his first two at-bats, teammate Mike Shannon noticed Brock had closed his stance.
“I asked (hitting coach) Dick Sisler about it and Dick told Lou to open up again,” Shannon said to The Sporting News.
Brock hit a solo homer off Joe Moeller in the seventh and a three-run homer off Bruce Brubaker, making his big-league debut, in the eighth. Boxscore
On April 16, Brock was 4-for-5 with two solo homers against former teammate Mike Cuellar and three RBI in the Cardinals’ 11-8 victory over the Astros at St. Louis. Boxscore
After the game, Brock told the Associated Press a switch to a 35-ounce bat, heavier than the model he usually used, had helped his early-season hitting. Said Sisler: “The heavier bat Brock is using cuts down on his swing, so he’s not getting out in front of the ball.”
Brock’s other two home runs in the opening 10 games were a three-run shot off Marichal in the season opener April 11 and a solo homer off the Giants’ Bob Bolin on April 20.
In sparking the Cardinals to the 1967 National League pennant, Brock finished the regular season with career highs of 206 hits, 21 home runs and 76 RBI.
Previously: Lou Brock to Lance Berkman: comeback specialists
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