Fish Fowler flirts with perfection

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This article was published 28/05/2011 (5301 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Barry FOWLER doesn’t have a DVD of The Rookie in his locker at Shaw Park. No need; he’s living the movie.

In fact, the 35-year-old right handed Winnipeg Goldeyes pitcher is producing a sequel. He started his first professional game Friday night against the Gary SouthShore RailCats only 12 years after starring for the University of Georgia Bulldogs.

He had a perfect game going into the sixth inning and was pulled after giving up his first hit, a single. Even though his team lost 2-1 to the RailCats in the American Association contest, Fowler was all smiles.

“That was incredible. It was such a blessing,” he said after signing autographs for fans following the game.

“My friends and family were at home in Atlanta rooting and cheering for me. That was exciting.”

Family is of utmost importance to Fowler, as he stayed by the sides of many a dying relative, including his mother, grandmather, grandfather, an aunt and an uncle and put his baseball career on hold for the past decade.

He kept his arm in shape by playing senior men’s baseball after a brief stint in minor-league ball in the U.S. Last year, he called Goldeyes manager Rick Forney and flew up to Maryland to pitch for him. He was cut in training camp but was added to the roster after a last-minute spring-training performance.

Fowler’s story bears a few similarities to Hollywood’s surprise hit of 2002. It starred Dennis Quaid as Jim Morris, a one-time prospect who was forced by a shoulder injury to give up his dream of pitching in the major leagues.

He became a science teacher and high school baseball coach. One day, after his players found his throws at batting practice impossible to hit, they bet him that if they reached the state playoffs, he’d have to attend a major-league tryout camp.

They made it, of course, and Morris found himself next spring competing with players nearly half his age. His 98-mile-an-hour fastball was impossible to ignore, however, and he eventually played parts of two seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

“I know that story very well,” Fowler said with a grin. “People tell me I’m The Rookie II. I’m documenting it. I put the first two parts up on YouTube and the third part is taking place right now here in Winnipeg.”

Manager Rick Forney said Fowler did a “great job.”

“He turned in one of our better pitching performances of the year. He stepped up and he wasn’t afraid. He threw stikes and got a lot of ground-ball outs.”

Forney said the only downside to the evening was his team’s inability to produce hits when they needed to.

“It’s too bad we couldn’t have won that game for him. It would have been a great story. It’s still a good story,” he said.

The Goldeyes took a one-run lead into the seventh inning but couldn’t hold it. Goldeyes reliever Ian Thomas caught Brad Boyer leaning off first base in the top of the seventh, but the speedy second-baseman was able to beat the throw to second by first-baseman Justin Bass.

Christian Guerrero followed with a single, moving Boyer to third. An excuse-me swing by Toddric Johnson sent a dribbler down the third-base line that handcuffed third-baseman, Louis Ott, scoring Boyer.

Chad Benefield came on in relief, but shortstop Kyle Haines lined a pitch off his glove that dribbled into right field, scoring Guerrero. Benefield retired the next two batters to end the threat.

Bass, who had a hit in each of the Goldeyes’ first 14 games to start the season, went hitless in his first three at-bats before singling to left field in the bottom of the ninth inning.

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca