Cook Plays the Heavy : Despite Impressive Statistics, He Might Miss Legion All-Star Game

At 5-8, 185 pounds, Jordan Cook looks more like Rodney Dangerfield than Babe Ruth. But the Encino-Tarzana pitcher-infielder-outfielder possesses some of the talents that made both famous.

“Not to say I don’t look like a ballplayer,” Cook said, “but the last time I went to the beach I got a harpoon in my back.

“You figure it out.”

Despite his looks, Cook has dominated District 20 American Legion baseball this season with his hitting and pitching. The 18-year-old has the second-best batting average (.517) among Valley-area Legion players. He is also tied for third in doubles (8) and triples (5) and has knocked in 16 runs.

Cook can fry the opposition on the mound, too. Among Valley-area Legion pitchers, he is second in victories with six (against one loss), first in strikeouts (59) and second in earned-run average at 1.34.

His mastery has helped Encino-Tarzana to a 15-4 record and made him one of the 50 players chosen by Legion coaches for the District 20 American Legion All-Star Game today at 2 p.m. at Cal State Northridge.

Cook was to have been the West’s starting pitcher, but a batting-practice injury Saturday may have changed that. Cook, a right-hander, was hit above the right wrist by a pitch thrown by Encino-Tarzana Coach Tom Abramson before his team’s 4-3 victory over Burbank-Providence at Birmingham High. Cook had been leery going up to the plate--Abramson hadn’t been the picture of control.

“He hit Ernie Perez (Encino-Tarzana shortstop) in the back twice, but I figured I’d take my chance,” Cook said.

“Wrong decision.”

The result was a half-foot welt above the wrist. “It’s pretty gross,” Cook said.

However, several hours after applying ice to the bruise, he said “I’m 73.2 percent sure I’ll pitch tomorrow.”

Cook said he would wait until game time before making a decision. “If I can’t play I’ll just be the biggest cheerleader you’ve ever seen,” he said.

“But I refuse to wear a skirt.”

Cook wants to take special care of his throwing arm. He was 4-0 at College of the Canyons last season and plans to try out at UC San Diego as a walk-on. He’s not cocky about the future.

“I’m sure I’ll make the team, but I know I’m not a major league baseball player,” he said.

“I’ll just play baseball as long as I can.”

In 1986, Cook’s senior year at Birmingham High, he made All-City as a utility player and played in the Bernie Milligan All-Star Game for Southern California’s best high school players. Why is he successful with an average-looking body?

“Baseball is the only game a short, chubby kid can be competitive with guys who are 6 feet,” he said, “and I want to win so bad that I try harder than anybody else.

“I hate to lose--it drives me up the wall and to the refrigerator.”

AMERICAN LEGION ALL-STAR ROSTERS

The West

Player Pos BA Arnie Aguinaga INF .344 Damon Buford 2B .382 Rob Bumgarner OF .484 J.P. Des Enfants C-INF .375 Jim Doushgounian 2B .414 John Dunn C-OF .360 Barry Gindlesperger OF .447 Don Kelly 1B-DH .377 Mike Kerber DH .448 Mike LeCocq C-OF .426 Jack Leighton 3B .436 Carl McFadden OF .452 Rex McMackin OF-DH .390 David Maine INF .448 Ernie Perez SS .413 Ray Sabado 2B .389 Adam Schulhofer INF .431 J. R. Smith SS .438 Gino Tagliaferri SS-DH .375 Joe Testa C .405

Pitcher W-L ERA Jordan Cook 6-1 1.34 Jason Farrell 2-1 5.13 Lance Gibson 4-0 1.48 Scott Hayward 1-0 1.67 Kirk Surabian 3-0 1.27

The East

Player Pos BA Jeff Antoon 3B .429 John Barnfather OF .350 Jon Beauchemin 3B .430 Greg Biley SS .320 Manny Colmes 1B .317 Randy Cooper 2B .342 Tom Dodson C .388 Todd Eberhardt 2B-SS .400 Jim Estes OF .407 Rick Hogan C .368 Mark Lorack 1B .435 Jim Mattmann OF .360 Matt McElreath LF .462 Gary Morgan DH-OF .412 E.J. Pape 2B-3B .476 Billy Picketts CF .448 Tom Ressler RF-3B .387 Mike Sims C .370 Joey Speakes OF .391 Brian Woolley SS .435

Pitcher W-L ERA Tim DeGrasse 6-0 1.31 Mark Eubanks 1-4 3.12 Sean Regan 6-1 3.87 Travis Regnolds 4-0 2.06 Roger Salkeld 7-1 2.88