Future All-star Bobby Knoop (.264) came to Disch Field in 1959 on his way to an All-Star
career with the California Angels. Howie Bedell would bat .303 with 26
2B, a Disch Field tying 13 Triples and a .303 batting average. Chuck Buheller hit
15 HR and batted .333. William Thompson hit 22 HR and Charles Gorin went 16-7
with a 2.96 ERA. Maybe it wasn't the best team Disch Field had ever seen, but
in 1959... for that one season... it was. For the first time ever the Austin Senators
would push past the 1st round of playoffs and for the first time in this
ballpark's history... take home a Championship Trophy. They had better savor
that one... Bobby Knoop returned in 1960 to hit .280 and Denny Lemaster would post
a fine 14-6, 3.73 record on his way to becoming the 3rd future All-Star to
be promoted from Disch Field as the Senators finished with a 73-71 record. In 1961,
the Senators dropped below .500 but they would see the biggest names ever
to take the field here as Milwaukee Braves' Austin based Double-A franchise welcomed
Hank Aaron's brother, Tommy Aaron (25 2B, 15 HR, .299) and this ballpark's
first ever future Hall of Famer... 22 year old knuckleballer Phil Niekro (4-4,
2.95). Niekro was on his way to an amazing 24 year career that would see him
pitch until he was 48 years old, becoming a 20 game winner, 3 times in his career
with a 318-274, 3.35 lifetime record. His best season came in 1969 when he would
post a 23-13, 2.56 for the Atlanta Braves. In 1974, he would again win 20
games with an ERA of just 2.38 and at the age of 43, Niekro had another amazing
season posting a 17-4, 3.61 record as he was on his way to becoming a member of
the Major League Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, forever making this ballpark a
historic one. |