Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 21, 1990 TAG: 9006210353
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Bark and Kowitz have been friends since childhood in suburban Baltimore, and they were baseball opponents in college.
Now, by happy coincidence, they've landed on the same professional roster in their first season of rookie ball.
The 21-year-old Bark, a left-handed pitcher from North Carolina State, and Kowitz, a 20-year-old outfielder from Clemson, car-pooled from Maryland last week to report for work for the Pulaski Braves of the Appalachian League.
The season opens tonight at 7 when the Bluefield Orioles come to Calfee Park.
"Brian called me as soon as he heard that we were going to be on the same team," Bark said. "I already knew because the same scout [Roy Clark] signed both of us."
It was the most recent occasion that Bark and Kowitz's paths have converged.
Growing up in the close-by communities of Randallstown (Bark's residence) and Owings Mills, the two got to know each other through their parents, friends since high school.
Their fathers, Jerry Bark and Jack Kowitz, had even played together briefly at the University of Maryland.
But Jack Kowitz's brief stint as a college player ended during his freshman season.
Jerry Bark went on to play from 1965-68 in the New York Mets minor league system, making it as far as the Class AAA level; Jack Kowitz went to law school and is now a litigation specialist.
The boys kept up with each other although they went to different schools - Bark to Randallstown High and Kowitz at Boys' Latin in Baltimore - and played in different summer leagues.
Kowitz and Bark's younger brother Robbie (now also at N.C. State) were on the same summer league team.
In time, Brian Bark landed at State and Kowitz at Clemson. The first time they faced each other on a baseball diamond was when Kowitz was a freshman and Bark a sophomore. Bark was pitching.
"He threw at my head and I charged," Kowitz said.
Just kidding. The confrontation was a little less colorful than that. Kowitz went 0-for-3 with a walk.
"He was scared to pitch to me," Kowitz said.
"Bull," Bark said.
Bark has a fine arm, believed to be one of the best on the Pulaski staff, and no pitcher gets very far in baseball being afraid. Yet still, anybody would have cause for concern when pitching to Kowitz.
Prior to being taken by the Braves in the ninth round of this month's amateur free agent draft, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Kowitz batted .410 with 60 runs batted in, 102 hits, 35 steals, 85 runs and three home runs as a junior for Clemson. He was one of six Tigers drafted.
Bark, who played in the outfield as well as pitched for the Wolfpack, was drafted for the second time this month.
In 1989, he was a 12th-round pick as a pitcher of the Baltimore Orioles.
However, the signing bonus wasn't to his liking and the Orioles' plans for him didn't suit him either.
"I wanted to play every day and I felt as though it was important that I finished school," he said.
Of course, that's taking a chance that nobody drafts you the next season or that you'll be hurt as a senior.
"It was real risky," he said of his strategy. "But if you have confidence in yourself . . . "
Bark went 4-2 with nine saves as a pitcher while having his worst season as a hitter. After three seasons of batting over .350, Bark hit .260 with 10 homers and 50 RBI while also playing center field.
Nevertheless, Bark knew that would be his last opportunity as a position player.
The Braves chose him as a pitcher in the 12th round this month.
"I was prepared mentally to throw in the pros," he said. My coaches told me that's how I would be drafted. Besides, you move much quicker [through the minor leagues] if you're a left-handed pitcher."
With any luck, the two old buddies will be reunited quickly in the big leagues.
\ BRAVES BRIEFS: It does not appear as though Chipper Jones, the top choice in the recent amateur free agent draft, will be coming to Pulaski as was originally reported.
"I talked to [Atlanta Director of Player Development] Bobby Dews and he told me that he doubted very much that we would be seeing [Jones]," Pulaski general manager Kyle Scharhag said. "He's probably going to be spending the summer in Bradenton. If he's good enough to move up from Bradenton, then they think he'll be good enough to move up to [Class A] Sumter."
by CNB