During his four years at UK, game cards noted that Hooker had not only matured as person, but also as a pitcher: His velocity would increase to the upper-80s, topping out at 91-92 mph on occasion. He never added much movement, but he had a nice change-up and slurve, that allowed him work his way into a late inning relieving job for coach Keith Madison.
I remember an aggressive number thirty-three on the mound, who did not blow opposing hitters away, but used his repertoire of pitches to set them down.
Hooker would take the mound in 83 games for the Wildcats, landing himself in the school’s record books as third all-time in appearances. Hooker saved 11 games in his college career, placing him third among hurlers in the books as well.
Having passed on beginning his pro career in 2000 after being selected as a 40th round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians, Jon was left to sign with the White Sox as a non-drafted free agent following his senior season.
His lone season in affiliated ball, Hooker logged a 2-2, 5.46 mark with two saves for Bristol of the Appalachian League. Take away two poor outings, the first against Burlington (June 30, 1 IP, 6 ER) and later at Princeton (July 18, 2.1 IP, 5 ER); and Hooker finishes with a very respectable 3.42 ERA.
One can only imagine how Jon felt in early August of 2001 when he tossed five shutout innings of three-hit ball, fanning 13 batters over two relief appearances.
Hooker was cast adrift by the Pale Hose to join the ranks of the independent players in 2002. First in Fargo-Moorhead, where he helped the RedHawks captured the Northern League title in 2003, before finishing his playing career with Joliet in 2005. I caught a one-inning stint of Jon’s with the Jackhammers, in which he looked to be the same pitcher I had remembered from his collegiate days. Thus, I did not make a notation.
Independent ball is far from glamorous, but Jon was doing what he loved: Playing ball.
Maybe that is what I should have written on the game card.
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