Education
He lived in Mission Viejo, California and graduated from Capistrano Valley High School. August attended Chapman University, where he was a Division II All-American.
He lived in Mission Viejo, California and graduated from Capistrano Valley High School. August attended Chapman University, where he was a Division II All-American.
After competing for the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he was drafted 17th overall by the Houston Astros. He spent a year in the Astros" minor league system before being traded along with fellow pitcher Mark Knudson to the Brewers on August 15, 1986 in exchange for Danny Darwin. After beginning 1988 with a 4–1 record and a 3.52 European Research Area for the Denver Zephyrs (now the New Orleans Zephyrs) of the Pacific Coast League, August was called up to the Brewers.
He continued his success at the Major League level, going 13–7 with a 3.09 European Research Area and ranking ninth in the American League in winning percentage.
August suffered a case of the sophomore jinx in 1989, slipping to 12–12 with a 5.31 European Research Area. He was sent back down to Denver for some time, where he garnered a 1–1 record with a 4.94 European Research Area. A notable moment came on June 5, when he was the winning pitcher in the inaugural MLB game played at the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) in Toronto, a 5–3 Brewers victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1990, he pitched five games, and had a record of 0–3.
He started 23 games during the 1991 season, and had a 9–8 record in his final season.