A right-handed pitcher and first baseman, Silkwood played in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system from 1982 to 1984. He was on the St. Petersburg Cardinals, the Gastonia Cardinals, the Springfield Cardinals, and the Arkansas Travelers. Silkwood was pitching for East Alton in the MonClair League when he signed with the Cards in 1982. He continued to play for East Alton after spending three years in the minor leagues with the Cardinals. He helped his East Alton team win the Mon-Clair League championship in 1988, and the Valmeyer Tournament in 1989. Silkwood was the Best Pitcher in the Mon-Clair League in 1985 and 1988. He was selected to nine Mon-Clair League all-star teams. In 2001, Silkwood was inducted into the Mon-Clair League Hall of Fame. In 1978, he was the American Legion District 22 Batting Champion. After graduating from East Alton-Wood River School, where he was a standout pitcher and catcher, Silkwood pitched for Lewis & Clark Community College from 1978 to 1980. In 1981 and 1982, he was a pitcher for Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. In 1982, he was named to the All-Region team, and he received Honorable Mention as an All-American. Silkwood was a baseball coach at SIUE for 12 years, winning the regional championship in 1991 and 1997. He was inducted into the SIUE Hall of Fame in 1991. His team was inducted in 2015. From 2009 to 2013, Silkwood was the varsity baseball coach at Marquette High School in Alton. He has been a speaker and instructor at numerous baseball clinics. He coached youth baseball teams for over 10 years.