J.R. Richard dead at 71

[mauf]

Sad news.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31965916/houston-astros-icon-jr-richard-career-was-cut-short-stroke-1980-dies-age-71

Richard led the NL in strikeouts in 1978 and 1979. And as great as Steve Carlton’s 1980 season was, Richard would’ve given him a run for the Cy Young Award had he finished the season (and the Astros almost certainly would’ve won the NL West, forcing the Phillies to contend with both Richard and Nolan Ryan in a 5-game series).

Richard fell on hard times after his playing days, becoming homeless for a time in the 1990s. But he got his life back together and eventually became a minister.

https://web.archive.org/web/20061123221149/http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/sports2000/players/172526.html

To be honest, I’m a little young to remember Richard’s career. I do remember my Dad being sad when it ended. Richard was probably the best player in my first Strat-O-Matic set, and I sought him out when I got MicroLeague a few years later. So to me, J.R. Richard is an exemplar of how statistics and stories can bring an old-time baseball player to life in ways that really aren’t possible in other sports.

RIP.

 

[Kliq]

Richard was a dominant pitcher at his peak and was cruising to the best year of his career when he had a stroke in July 1980, and never pitched again. A terrifying presence on the mound at 6'8 and WILD . In 1978 he struck out 303 batters and walked 141. He seemed to be getting under control after that, walking 98 the following year and having only walked 40 batters in 1980 before the stroke.

 

[cornwalls@6]

Sad news.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31965916/houston-astros-icon-jr-richard-career-was-cut-short-stroke-1980-dies-age-71

Richard led the NL in strikeouts in 1978 and 1979. And as great as Steve Carlton’s 1980 season was, Richard would’ve given him a run for the Cy Young Award had he finished the season (and the Astros almost certainly would’ve won the NL West, forcing the Phillies to contend with both Richard and Nolan Ryan in a 5-game series).

Richard fell on hard times after his playing days, eventually falling into homelessness for a time in the 1990s. But he got his life back together and eventually became a minister.

https://web.archive.org/web/20061123221149/http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/sports2000/players/172526.html

To be honest, I’m a little young to remember Richard’s career. I do remember my Dad being sad when it ended. Richard was probably the best player in my first Strat-O-Matic set, and I sought him out when I got MicroLeague a few years later. So to me, J.R. Richard is an exemplar of how statistics and stories can bring an old-time baseball player to life in ways that really aren’t possible in other sports.

RIP.

I remember him very well. Was 14-15 when he was at his most dominant, and absolutely still consumed with baseball. He was absolutely electric, and the rare chances to see him on TV, in the landscape back then, were a blast to watch. I remember hearing about his stroke the next day, and all the news reports saying it was touch and go as to whether he would survive. He never made it back to the bigs. Terrible loss for himself and the game, one of the all time what if's. R.I.P.

 

[Kliq]

His career is really very similar to Randy Johnson's. Johnson was a lefty, but both guys were tall and overpowering, but wild. Johnson didn't figure it out until his late 20s, and didn't win the first of his five Cy Young awards until his Age 31 season, when he finally got some control and cut down his walks. Richard appeared to be following the same path, but we will never know if he could have ever had a 30s as dominant as Johnson.

 

[NYCSox]

Like Mauf, a bit too young to remember much about him but yeah I remember all the stories about how scary at was times to face him. He was only a teammate of Ryan for half a season in 1980. Can you imagine those two on the same staff?

Very likely WS champs in 1980 if Richard doesn't have his stroke.

 

[Captaincoop]

That 1980 Houston team had Richard, Nolan Ryan, and Joe Niekro in the starting rotation. Pretty fun team to follow, I would imagine.

 

[terrynever]

Probably the most frightening pitcher to face, I think, for big league hitters. Remembered for that, and for his stroke. I guess athletes have had strokes before but his stroke was a jolt to normal folks because you think you’re immortal at that age, and you think athletes are indestructible. And then they are not. I put J.R. on that sad list of athletes whose careers were cut short by illness. At least he lived a full life, unlike Harry Agannis, Lou Gehrig, Brian Piccolo, and Maurice Stokes, to name a few.

 

[Kliq]

That 1980 Houston team had Richard, Nolan Ryan, and Joe Niekro in the starting rotation. Pretty fun team to follow, I would imagine.

Richard and Ryan throwing complete gas, followed by the knuckleballer is a cruel series for opposing hitters.

 

[thehitcat]

Big Irish family lived across the street from me when I was growing up in Worcester. The oldest (2nd oldest?) daughter was a nurse in Houston and Richard was on her floor and section right after his stroke and his family liked her so much that they specifically asked her to continue on with him while he was in-patient rehab. I remember that being a big deal to us and we rooted for him to get better even though the Astros we so far away. I was still a kid and couldn't believe that anyone JR's age when he had the stroke wouldn't eventually get better and return to the mound. Sad but glad he eventually got his life together.

 

[Archer1979]

Very sad to hear. I am old enough to remember watching him pitch (but being in NE, you only got to see him if it was a Game of the Week or TWIB). A great talent. If I recall correctly, his stroke was a result of his pitching arm being so strong that it caused the blockage. Just looked it up...

The doctor told me that I was such a powerful pitcher that the muscles in my right shoulder had overdeveloped and were pressing against the ribs every time I threw. It caused an irritation, a blockage. I had a blockage 13 centimeters long. When they operated they took the blockage out of my arm -- they almost cut my arm completely off -- they cut into a rib and they took a vein from my stomach. They spliced two veins together in my arm and put a catheter in my stomach. The scar is right below my neck and near the shoulder blade. A blood clot had been lodged in my neck. It started cutting off the flow of blood to my brain.

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/throwback/201507/jr-richard-still-throwing-heat-houston-astros-pitcher-stroke-strikeouts

 

[johnmd20]

The Rocket. I am sorry to hear it.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

To be honest, I’m a little young to remember Richard’s career. I do remember my Dad being sad when it ended. Richard was probably the best player in my first Strat-O-Matic set, and I sought him out when I got MicroLeague a few years later. So to me, J.R. Richard is an exemplar of how statistics and stories can bring an old-time baseball player to life in ways that really aren’t possible in other sports.

RIP.

I had for some reason the Sports Illustrated baseball set and a friend of mine and I set up our own league. We got tired of the players we had so we started making our own. The JR Richard card we made up was like the best pitcher in our league - better than HOF Walter Johnson, right on the level with HOF Sandy Koufax.

The Astros of the late 70s were great to root for. The pitching staff also had the likes of Joaquin Andujar, Joe Sambito, Ken Forsch, and Vern Ruhle (1979 also had Bobby Sprowl for 3 games it looks like). On the other side of the ball were Cesar Cedeno, Enos Cabell, Art Howe, Bob Watson, jesus Alou, Danny Heep, Bruce Bochy, and Jose Cruz, just to name a few. Guys were good and fun to follow.

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

Years ago, I was at a corporate spring trainings boondoggle where Steve Garvey was hired to s moose the execs for a few hours. Asked him the pitcher he hated facing the most, and without hesitation said JR Richard. Specifically said he’d rather face Ryan, Seaver, Carlton and some other Lords of the 70s/80s era than have to cone up against Richard.

 

[jon abbey]

I had for some reason the Sports Illustrated baseball set and a friend of mine and I set up our own league. We got tired of the players we had so we started making our own. The JR Richard card we made up was like the best pitcher in our league - better than HOF Walter Johnson, right on the level with HOF Sandy Koufax.

The Astros of the late 70s were great to root for. The pitching staff also had the likes of Joaquin Andujar, Joe Sambito, Ken Forsch, and Vern Ruhle (1979 also had Bobby Sprowl for 3 games it looks like). On the other side of the ball were Cesar Cedeno, Enos Cabell, Art Howe, Bob Watson, jesus Alou, Danny Heep, Bruce Bochy, and Jose Cruz, just to name a few. Guys were good and fun to follow.

The 1980 NLCS (Astros/Phillies) might be what really made me fall in love with baseball, incredibly entertaining series. Best of 5 and the final four games all went extra innings, lead changes galore.

 

[edoug]

The Astros and MLB did him wrong.
https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2015/08/22/jr-richard-still-throwing-heat-book

 

[Norm Siebern]

Damnit. One of my favorite pitchers of all time. This one hurts. I was fifteen when I first saw you in 1976 and was in awe. Godspeed and rest in peace, James Rodney Richard. There are no strokes in heaven, just green grass, two seamers that break two feet, and umpires with expanding corners.

 

[Way2Low]

IIRC his hands were so large he could hold 7 baseballs....RIP