Friday also brought a new career honor for the former outfielder as he was one of seven players and coaches elected to the National College Baseball Hall of Fame’s class of 2012. The announcement was made by the College Baseball Foundation with selection criteria based only on nominees’ collegiate careers.

Brock starred for Southern University in Baton Rouge from 1958-1960. He earned a scholarship in his sophomore year and was named All-Southwestern Athletic Conference. In 1959, Brock led Southern to the NAIA championship with a .536 average and then competed for the United States team in the Pan-Am Games. In 1960, he hit .351 and stole 18 bases before receiving a $30,000 bonus for signing with the Chicago Cubs.

27 years after becoming just the 15^th player to be named to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, Brock will now join the College Hall as well. He was previously named to at least three state-oriented sports Halls in Louisiana (1983), Missouri (1992) and Arkansas (1995).

Other 2012 College Baseball Hall inductees include ex-players Nomar Garciaparra (Georgia Tech), Brad Wilkerson (Florida) and Tim Jorgensen (Wisconsin-Oshkosh) plus three coaches: Ed Cheff (Lewis-Clark State), Frank Sancet (Arizona) and Wayne Graham (Rice).

Current members of the Hall include these individuals who later went on to become St. Louis Cardinals players, managers or executives: Dick Groat, Branch Rickey, Will Clark and Bob Horner.

This year’s group of inductees will be honored during a weekend of festivities June 29-30 at the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, Tex.

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The opening ceremony for the display of Cardinals artifacts was held Friday night at the Little Rock, Arkansas facility. Hall of Famer and Arkansas native Lou Brock presided. (Brock had been serving as a special assistant coach during the early days of 2012 spring training camp in Jupiter, Fla., from where the enclosed photo was taken last week.)

The following two-minute segment from KATV Channel 7 includes a quick view of some of the items being displayed as well as a clip of Brock’s remarks.

The Arkansas News also covered the Friday event and filed this article.

The Cardinals exhibit, which had been in the planning stages for over six months, runs through September 16 and is included with general admission to the library. I will be checking it out in June and will of course report back.

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Legendary Auctions, the same house that sold almost a half-million dollars worth of Gibson’s memorabilia this summer, is currently featuring a Brock collection of 78 items. Online and phone bidding begins today, Monday, November 9.

Included are at least three items directly a part of his then-record-setting 893^rd stolen base in 1974 – his game jersey, the actual bag from the stolen base and the ball from that play. Brock’s 1967 championship ring, gloves, jerseys, bats, other game-used equipment items and commemorative balls are up for sale, including the one from his last hit as a major leaguer.

A really unique item is the “20” pennant that flew above the old Busch Stadium to recognize Brock’s retired number. A wide variety of different award plaques, cups and trophies are among the heirlooms to be auctioned as well as a number of oil paintings of Brock, including ones by Leroy Neiman and Flood.

Alas, not a single Brockabrella is being offered…