When Phil Sobkow looks back 2003 was quite a year.
The Calder-area product was attending the University of Central Missouri playing baseball.
“I started out in the bullpen,” he recalled, but was soon starting.
Sobkow would go 9-0 that season, being a unanimous all conference and all region selection as a pitcher. He was in-line for All-American status but needed 10 wins to qualify.
The personal success was mirrored on the field by the Mules team.
“We were so dominant. We won 42 or 43 to end the year, or something like that. We were ranked top-three all year. We had nine-10-12 guys end up playing professional baseball,” said Sobkow.
The last win came hoisting the College World Series trophy.
Sobkow said the Mules had always been a very competitive college program.
“Before I got there they were in the playoffs 11 straight, but hadn’t won it since (19)94,” he said.
The World Series win and dominating performance was not forgotten, and the team was recently inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield, MS.
Sobkow said he didn’t make to the induction, having returned to the school for alumni weekend last October, but added he will visit the Hall of Fame one day, adding his one year with the Mules remains a career highlight.
“When you’re on any type of team and you win something like that you stay pretty close,” he said, adding there was a camaraderie based on a desire to succeed from day one that season. “There was an attitude everybody on that team had to win the World Series. That was everybody’s focus.
“It was great being around a group of guys that were so motivated to achieve one thing.”
For Sobkow the year only got better too.
“Four, or five days after that I got drafted by the (Los Angeles) Dodgers,” he said. “... So 2003 was a pretty good year for me.”
