Wake-Up Call a Call-Up to the Pros

The phone call that Kevin Brockway had begun to think might never come finally came at 1 a.m. June 18.

The man on the other end told the weary Brockway, who pitched for Santa Monica College, West Los Angeles College and Pan American University in Texas, that he wanted to sign him to a contract with the San Francisco Giants.

“I had an opening for him, so I thought I’d catch him as soon as I could,” said George Genovese, a Giants scout for 22 years, who has awakened more than one young man in his time.

Four days later, Brockway was signed and pitching for a minor league team, the Tri-Cities Triplets in Richland, Wash.

“I guess it was just circumstances,” said Genovese, who signed Bobby Bonds, George Foster and Jack Clark, among others. “There’s a lot of luck in this business, and maybe when he had good days the scouts just weren’t around.”

Scout Spotted Something

But Genovese was around at the right time.

He said he had been watching Brockway pitch for the Giant Rookies, a traveling semiprofessional team, for the past six Sundays.

“He showed a lot of determination and composure and a good live arm,” he said. “Those are the things I look for in a pitcher so I thought he was worthy of signing.

“Frankly, I was rather surprised he wasn’t drafted.”

So was Brockway.

The 22-year-old was 10-2 with a 2.41 earned-run average last year for Pan American in Edinburg, Tex., but the team finished 31-27 in Division I play and Brockway apparently went unnoticed.

‘Just an Unknown’

“I probably should have stayed in California,” he said. “The area I played in wasn’t that big and I was just an unknown product.”

And in his first professional appearance he pitched like an unknown, giving up nine runs in one inning in a losing effort June 22.

“It was my first time in pro ball and I was kind of nervous,” Brockway said. “But we’re all just here learning, trying to get better.”

Pat Murphy, the Triplets manager, said the outing wasn’t as bad as the line score might indicate. Murphy said the defense didn’t play well and only four runs were earned.

And Brockway, demonstrating the determination that impressed Genovese, rebounded two nights later against the Everett Giants. Entering the game trailing 6-0, Brockway pitched 5 innings, allowed one run on three hits, struck out four and walked one.

1st Pro Triumph

When the Triplets rallied for a 12-7 win, Brockway had his first professional victory.

“He still has a lot to learn, but he wants to learn and anyone like that will find a place,” Murphy said.

“I’m very pleased with him. His stats don’t show it, but he’s done a fine job for us so far.

Of course, Genovese, isn’t surprised.