Baseball star Bob Brower shares life lessons

By Davey Smith

Former Major League Baseball player Bob Brower, now of Hutchinson, spoke at the Spring Entrepreneurs Forum here on the HCC campus on Feb. 26.

He shared lessons he has learned both on and off the ball diamond.

Some tips from Brower included:

• When you are doing something that is extremely hard – your heart has to be full to do it.

• When others express doubt about what you can accomplish – use it as motivation. Stay on the path.

• Success takes networking. Relationships are the foundation of opportunity and success.

• Tell clients what they need to hear – even if they don’t want to hear it.

• Focus on what you control. Learn to stay confident and persistent through failure.

• Know who you want to be – even if you don’t know what you want to do for a career. Keep making progress.

• Live in the moment. Do the right things. Seize opportunities. Be tenacious.

Brower was a multi-sport athlete in high school, lettering in four sports, and decided to play baseball and football in college.

He was an outstanding player, batting an average of .320 for Duke University and earning all-ACC honors. He finished college with the career records for triples, stolen bases, and 14th in all time batting average for Duke.

After earning his college degree, he tried out with the Texas Rangers as an undrafted prospect. Though several years of determined effort, he worked his way up through the minor leagues and ultimately earned a spot on the Big League roster.

He would then spend the next ten years playing pro baseball at various levels, including three seasons with the Rangers and one season with the Yankees.

After injuries rendered him unable to continue playing, Scott Boras offered him a job as a sports agent. Brower was the third person hired in the Boras Corporation. This was the beginning of a company that would soon become a giant in the sports industry.

Now vice-president of the Scott Boras Corporation, Brower is based in Hutchinson.

He runs the Home Plate Club, 513 West 5th. It has state-of-the-art equipment designed to encourage local families to get involved in baseball.

Membership is required to use the facility, which is in a building that was in a state of disrepair until its remodeling for the Home Plate Club.

The HCC Business Management and Entrepreneurship Program sponsored the Feb. 26 forum. Program Coordinator Dan Naccarato was delighted with Brower’s presentation.

He said 140 people attended the forum and listened to Brower’s advice.

Naccarato said the next Entrepreneurs’ Forum is set for Nov. 5.

The featured speaker will be Denny Stoecklein, general manager of the Kansas State Fair.

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