Sam McDowell---1971
Sam McDowell lived life hard. His
fastball was hard---having been
clocked at over 100 mph. His drinking
was even harder.
McDowell burst into the limelight (well,
as much limelight as can be had
pitching for the woeful Cleveland
Indians) in 1965 when he led the
American League with 325 strikeouts.
The southpaw proceeded to lead the
junior circuit in K’s four of the next five
years, while showing no command
whatsoever, as he also led the AL in
walks five times. He also proceeded to
drink, drink, drink his way out of the
major leagues by 1975.
Sam righted himself in later years,
working as an alcohol counselor for
the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas
Rangers. It was during the summer of
1984, as I was working as an intern
with the Ranger’s Triple-A farm club in
Oklahoma City, when I met McDowell.
Drawing the lucky short straw, I was
given the assignment of picking up
“Sudden Sam” at the airport and
driving him to the ballpark so he could
address our 89er’s club on the evils of
alcohol abuse.
Amazing how cards can come to life,
as Sam's look on this card is identical
to look the 6-foot-5 McDowell gave me
after I dropped him off at the
clubhouse. I guess the 15-minute ride
in my 1978 Toyota Celica cramped his
style. Either that, or he had a
flashback of a bartender in Kansas
City who once served him a watered
down drink following another 13-
strikeout, eight-walk loss that
frequented his career.
Many fans in Cleveland still ask the
question, “What if?”
fastball was hard---having been
clocked at over 100 mph. His drinking
was even harder.
McDowell burst into the limelight (well,
as much limelight as can be had
pitching for the woeful Cleveland
Indians) in 1965 when he led the
American League with 325 strikeouts.
The southpaw proceeded to lead the
junior circuit in K’s four of the next five
years, while showing no command
whatsoever, as he also led the AL in
walks five times. He also proceeded to
drink, drink, drink his way out of the
major leagues by 1975.
Sam righted himself in later years,
working as an alcohol counselor for
the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas
Rangers. It was during the summer of
1984, as I was working as an intern
with the Ranger’s Triple-A farm club in
Oklahoma City, when I met McDowell.
Drawing the lucky short straw, I was
given the assignment of picking up
“Sudden Sam” at the airport and
driving him to the ballpark so he could
address our 89er’s club on the evils of
alcohol abuse.
Amazing how cards can come to life,
as Sam's look on this card is identical
to look the 6-foot-5 McDowell gave me
after I dropped him off at the
clubhouse. I guess the 15-minute ride
in my 1978 Toyota Celica cramped his
style. Either that, or he had a
flashback of a bartender in Kansas
City who once served him a watered
down drink following another 13-
strikeout, eight-walk loss that
frequented his career.
Many fans in Cleveland still ask the
question, “What if?”
