Brock caps career with 3,000th hit
The line outside Busch Memorial Stadium could have indicated a blowout sale as fans queued up for more than a half-mile to get a glimpse of history.
On Aug. 13, 1979, Cardinals left fielder Lou Brock was two hits shy of becoming the 14th member of the 3,000-hit club. With buzz surrounding his feat, fans lined up at the stadium gates as early as 9 a.m. – 11 hours before first pitch – to secure their seats.
“I came just to see Brock get his hit,” one spectator told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “And if he doesn’t do it tonight, I’ll be back at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning. If he doesn’t do it tomorrow night, I’ll be back at 9 o’clock (on) Wednesday morning. Someday, I’m going to tell my great-grandson that I saw Lou Brock’s 3,000th hit.”
While the line started in front of the South Broadway bleachers entrance and stretched past Stan Musial’s statue and nearly to Gate 6 on Walnut Street, Brock was on everyone’s mind. The Cardinals legend’s chase for the accolade garnered the attention of 44,457 fans – St. Louis’ largest weeknight crowd that season. And Brock didn’t let them down.
In his first at-bat, the left-handed hitter blooped a single into shallow left field. With anticipation rising and pressure mounting, Brock remained calm.
“That’s an amazing thing about Lou,” teammate Keith Hernandez told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “There’s no difference in him. Absolutely no difference. He’s so even-keel you’d never know what was at stake.”
Chants of “Lou! Lou! Lou!” filled the stadium and intensified the anticipation until Brock’s second at-bat.
Cubs pitcher Dennis Lamp stood between Brock and the record books – but not for long. Brock fell behind in the count 0-and-2 before getting dusted off the plate with a high and tight heater. He evened the count at 2-and-2 before he blistered a line-drive single off Lamp’s pitching hand that trickled toward the third base line. The speedster dashed through first base before a euphoric celebration erupted.
Fans showered themselves with beer and other stadium debris as the jamboree lasted for more than 15 minutes. Spectators in the left field bleachers received certificates proclaiming: “I was there when Lou Brock achieved hit number 3,000.”
As Brock reached the milestone against the Cubs and forced out Lamp with a bruised hand, it reminded the organization of what could have been. Brock had signed with Chicago as an amateur free agent in 1960. But in 1964, the speedy outfielder was dealt – along with pitchers Jack Spring and Paul Toth – to the Cardinals for Ernie Broglio – an 18-game winner in 1963 – Bobby Shantz and Doug Clemens.
“I think he wanted to do this against the Cubs,” Cardinals pitcher Bob Forsch said to the Post-Dispatch. “I mean, they’re the club that traded him away. There had to be a real sense of satisfaction.
“This (milestone) was just a matter of time. The way he chopped off the hits early in the season, we were just hoping he’d get 3,000 in St. Louis.”
Brock finished his 19-year career after the 1979 season with 3,023 hits, 1,610 runs, 900 RBI and 938 steals – a stolen base record that stood until 1991. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985 and became the 20th player elected in his first year on the ballot.
“You look at Lou’s career and you envy it,” Cardinals catcher and 2020 Hall of Fame inductee Ted Simmons told the Post-Dispatch. “I’ve enjoyed every ballgame I’ve ever played with him. What he’s done has been remarkable. It’s sad to think of him retiring, but it’s nice to see him going out on the right end of the game.”
Noah Douglas was the 2025 communications intern in the Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Leadership Development
