When Ben Broussard was with the Lookouts, he had the distinction of playing at Old Historic Engel Stadium, and the new BellSouth Park in downtown Chattanooga.
In 1999, the native Texan played in 35 games for Chattanooga when they were playing at Engel Stadium. Broussard was a member of the Lookouts in 2000, 2001. He hit .255 with 14 homers in 2000, and .320 with 23 homers in 2001.
Broussard gained attention after he put out a solo music album in 2005; he is an avid guitarist and song writer.
He was traded from Cincinnati to Cleveland before the start of the 2002 season.
Broussard, who shares first-base responsibilities with Eduardo Perez, became the first Major Leaguer this season to rattle off eight RBIs, falling one short of a club record.
In reflecting on the feat, Broussard recalled a similarly productive game he had with the Billings club, a Reds affiliate, in 1999.
"I had a crazy game in rookie ball where I went 5-for-5 with three homers and [11 RBIs]," Broussard said. "That was unbelievable. But it was nothing like here in the big leagues."
No, only the big leagues could provide a Jacobs Field crowd of 26,952 standing up and chanting "Ben-ny! Ben-ny!" before a Broussard at-bat.
Broussard earned such an ovation with his first-inning grand slam off Josh Beckett, his third-inning solo shot off Beckett, his two-run single off Julian Tavarez with the bases loaded in the sixth and, finally, his one-run single off Manny Delcarmen in the seventh.
"It's great," Broussard said. "The team's going out and putting guys on base. I try to take the pressure off myself. You don't want to be overly aggressive, but you want to be ready to hit."
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Adapted from article on the Major League Baseball website.
Broussard at bat against the Birminham Barons at The Met in Hoover, AL.
Click to enlarge photo.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt (file photo)