THE KING OF DIAMONDS ORAL HISTORY PODCAST WITH LARRY CARLSONS INTERVIEW WITH BROOKS KIESCHNICK IS AT

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THE KING OF DIAMONDS

by Larry Carlson

Was it fate?  Or perhaps, the Fates, the trio of sister goddesses from Greek mythology who were heavy hitters in deciding that college baseball’s greatest player ever would end up at The University of Texas.

Brooks Kieschnick told me the story at his home in San Antonio’s Olmos Park recently.  The Carroll High star in Corpus Christi had dreamed of playing for Coach Cliff Gustafson’s Texas Longhorns, just 200 miles to the north.  But an offer had not yet come in 1990.

“I had committed to Ron Polk at Mississippi State,” Kieschnick recalled, citing another legendary coach and program that actually had pursued him.   Successfully, so it seemed.  Polk had just mentored four future MLB all-stars from one Bulldog team.  Rafael Palmeiro, Will Clark, Bobby Thigpen and Will Brantley were killin’ it.

One day, Brooks received a call from Deron Gustafson, Gus’s son and assistant.  He was making a UT scholarship offer.  But Kieschnick told him of his commitment to play in Starkville for Polk.  According to Kieschnick, Deron  seemed to politely bow out of the courtship.  Guess again.

“About 15 minutes later, the phone rang again and this time it was Coach Gus,” Kieschnick said, smiling from behind the desk in his office.  The young baseball phenom reaffirmed his commitment to MSU.

Gustafson was not going to give ground.  Kieschnick related a story Gus told, using an analogy about getting a better deal, and taking it.  In short, why wouldn’t the slugger/pitcher want to go where he really wanted to be, and much, much closer to home?  With apologies to Polk, Gus had already won two national titles with 21 SWC titles and more than a dozen College World Series trips.  Credibility, meet persuasion.

Kieschnick told the venerable coach he was coming to UT.

And that, Longhorn fans, is how history was altered.  You can say it worked quite well for Gus and Kiesch.

In three seasons – before signing a first round contract with the Chicago Cubs – Kieschnick led the Horns to three postseasons, two SWC crowns and two deep dives into Omaha’s College World Series.

The 6-4 right-handed pitcher who batted lefty assaulted college ball with his talent, skill and will.

The big man was his sport’s dominant figure while at the Forty Acres.  Those of us who regularly witnessed his clutch performances were in awe of his multi-faceted mastery.  In those three seasons in burnt orange and white, Brooks Kieschnick put up numbers that would now be termed, “sick.”   As a pitcher with good velocity and an artist’s touch at painting the corners, he was 34-8.  In two of his Texas seasons, he yielded zero homers.  At the plate, he was intimidating, steadily delivering timely hits with a powerful stroke triggered by a groove-developing, trademark butt wiggle.

Dig some of stats from his plate presence:  Kiesch poled 43 homers, ripped 67 doubles and drove in 213 runs.  Meanwhile, he drew 140 walks, essentially one per game.

Those numbers could not have been duplicated as a major leaguer, and they weren’t.  The Cubs did not seem the right fit, shuttling Kieschnick with two others in left field.  In our visit for the podcast, Brooks pondered his timing in MLB, recalling a conversation with Adam Dunn, briefly a Longhorn QB.  Looking at his long career with the Cincinnati Reds, Dunn had reasoned that, “you only need 40 good swings a year.”

The 6-6, 285-pounder from New Caney was MLB’s poster player for that mantra.  Dunn clubbed 462 career homers.  He struck out almost 2400 times.

Asked about what might be the toughest task in all the sporting world, Brooks confirms what this writer has long believed.  It’s gotta be hitting a baseball.  And so it is, confirmed.  The skill, the sight, the foresight and instincts, they must all click in order to make a batsman successful once in every three chances.  That, coming from a man who seemed to master the challenge while breaking records in college and later making history as a pro.

Kieschnick fought through multiple stints in the minors and brief “cups of coffee” with the Rockies and Reds.  But he called his own shot.  Doggedly determined, he would complete an amazing baseball career with a flourish.  Kieschnick believed he could still pitch.  That confidence pushed him forward as a dual-threat pitcher/hitter.  Showtime was a scintillating second act with the Milwaukee Brewers.  So rare was and is that trick in the post-Babe Ruth, pre-Shohei Ohtani era that Sports Illustrated began tracking Brooks’ deeds each week.  For two seasons, he was an effective reliever and batted .270 and .300 for the Brew Crew.  In the process, Kiesch etched his name into baseball lore and the MLB record book.  The Longhorn legend became the first MLB player to swat a homer as a pitcher, a DH and a pinch hitter.

Two decades later, ol’ number 23 – his Texas jersey was retired in ’09 – lives the good life in San Antonio.

He’s excited about Launch Hydrate, the sports drink he is heavily involved in, he plays golf with former Texas teammates, he’s a husband and a father to a Longhorn football player, Brooks Jr, and a lacrosse-playing daughter who will join her brother next fall at UT.

Kieschnick, easygoing as a host, is sentimental about showing off a napkin with one of the world’s last autographs signed by his mentor and friend, the late Cliff Gustafson.  He shares a wealth of positive opinions about what Steve Sarkisian is cooking up for UT football’s new incarnation in the SEC.  And he’s unashamedly “old school” when talking about the music he favors.  Count him especially old school when ripping most of baseball’s new “innovations” and rule changes.  And there is an extra dose of head-shaking disdain for today’s non-stop player celebrations that take place almost every minute in the major sports.

But Brooks lights up again when asked about his “old Austin” hangouts for food, drink and music.  And he marvels about the Alamo City’s best steak and the tasty tang of his favorite “puro San Antonio” cocktail.

Yep, those Fates were at it again when Kieschnick invited The History of Longhorn Sports into his home this spring.  There’s no better day to sit down and talk baseball than Opening Day!  Perfect, like the buttery smooth Kieschnick swing that beat so many foes.

So check out TLSN’s podcast with Brooks.  Sit back and smile as college baseball’s GOAT barrels every question and circles the bases on a variety of topics and recollections.  He might even tell you which school – OU or A&M –he considers to be the lesser of two evils.  Easy for him.  He wore out both of ’em.