J.R. Richard stricken

HOUSTON, TEXAS - On this date in 1980 Houston Astros phenom pitcher J.R. Richard was rushed to a Houston hospital after collapsing during a workout in the Astrodome. He underwent emergency surgery that night not only to try to save his pitching career, but to save his life. Doctors found a blood clot in his neck. It took 2 hours of surgery to remove.

James Rodney Richard was drafted by the Astros in 1969 out of a Vienna, Louisiana high school. He was a flame thrower, reaching speeds of 100 mph, but he was a little slow out of the gate. He came on the major league scene in 1971 and was a combined 11-6 in his first 4 seasons. His breakout year was 1976 when he went 20-15. Richard won 18 games each of the next three seasons, and was 10-4 with an ERA of 1.89 at the time of his stroke. With 303 strikeouts in 1978 he became the first National League right-hander to strikeout more than 300.

J.R. Richard's life was saved on this date in 1980 but his baseball career came to an end. Despite trying a comeback in 1981, he never played another regular season major league game. He finished his career with 107-71 and an ERA of 3.15.

According to interviews done then and since, for example in the Houston Press, J.R. Richard thinks the Astros overlooked his complaints about a tired arm and other warning signs before his stroke. Whatever precipitated it, Richard fell on bad times to the point of being homeless living under a bridge in 1994. He later straightened out his life with the help of a minister and became a minister himself working with Houston youth.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
The Tragedy of J.R. Richard, by Ben Hochman, The Sporting News, August 5, 1999
Interview with J.R. Richard

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Double slams

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - Boston Red Sox 3rd baseman Bill Mueller hit not one, but two grand slam home runs on this date in 2003. His 9 Runs Batted In helped the Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 14-7. Quite an offensive display, but of course the bases have to be loaded both times to have a chance. It also helps, it turns out, to be a member of the visiting team, and play for the Red Sox. Twelve players in major league history have hit two grand slams in one game, 11 of them were on the visiting team. Four of them played for the Boston Red Sox.

American League
Tony Lazzeri-NY 1936
Jim Tabor-Boston 1939
Rudy York-Boston 1946
Jim Gentile-Baltimore 1961
Jim Northrup-Detroit 1968
Frank Robinson-Baltimore 1970
Robin Ventura-Chicago 1995
Chris Hoiles-Baltimore 1998
Nomar Garciaparra-Boston 1999
Bill Mueller-Boston 2003

Only three National Leaguers have hit two grand slams in the same game The circumstances of two were unbelievable. In 1999 St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Fernando Tatis hit two grand slams in the same inning! What are the odds of that happening?

One of the other National Leaguers to hit two grand slams in one game was a pitcher! On July 3, 1966 Atlanta Braves starter Tony Cloninger was 3 for 5 with 9 RBI on his way to a complete game win over the San Francisco Giants 17-3. Cloninger's offensive production was no fluke. He hit 5 home runs and drove in 23 that year.

Josh Willingham is the player
Here's a list of National League double slammers as compiled by Baseball Almanac:

National League
Tony Cloninger-Atlanta 1966
Fernando Tatis-St. Louis 1999
Josh Willingham-Washington 2009

Contributing Sources:
July 3, 1966 box score
2 grand slams in one game

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No Hits, Many Walks

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - Chicago White Sox pitchers Blue Moon Odom and Francisco Barrios combined to no-hit the Oakland A's on this date in 1976. Odom started the game against his old team. Barrios relieved him in the 6th. So why would a pitcher throwing a no-hitter be lifted? Let me count the ways; 1) because he walked 9 batters in 5 innings, 2) it was a 2-1 game, 3) it was a key divisional rivalry (the White Sox and A's were both in the American League West in '76). The Sox ended up winning the contest 2-1.

The Odom-Barrios no-hitter was the fourth combined no-no in major league baseball history at the time. The first was by pitcher Babe Ruth and Ernie Shore. Ruth started the game in 1917. He walked the first batter, but protested the call so vehemently he was kicked out without retiring a batter. His replacement, Ernie Shore proceeded to retire the next 27 hitters for a no-hitter.

There have been five more combined no-hitters as of this writing. The last one required the most pitchers. The Houston Astros used six pitchers to no-hit the New York Yankees in 2003 interleague play.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
1976 AL Central divisional race
Combined no-hitters

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A Little Giant emerges

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - 18-year old Mel Ott hit his first major league home run on this date in 1927. Ott's first was an inside-the-park job which helped his New York Giants beat the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The 5'9" Gretna, Louisiana native hit 511 career homers, and that was the only that didn't go over the fence.

Mel Ott arrived on the scene just a teen. He broke in with the Giants at age 17, and it wasn't because a lot of stars were off to war. It was 1926, the First World War had been over for several years and World War II wouldn't start for another 15. Ott had many great years, but his greatest was at age 20. Here are some of his 1929 stats, before he was old enough to vote:

Batting average .328
Home runs 42
RBI 151
Runs scored 138

Mel Ott was named to 9 All-Star games during his career. His life came to an abrupt end at 49 when his car was hit head-on in foggy conditions.

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No hype, just talent

COOPERSTOWN, NEW YORK - Three "stars" were inducted into the Hall of Fame on this date in 1987. Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Billy Williams and Ray Dandridge didn't lust for headlines or seek attention, so you know the recognition they got on this date was due to pure talent.

Catfish Hunter was a 20-game winner five times, four with Oakland A's and once with the New York Yankees. He was in the starting rotation for five World Series Champions, usually the ace of the staff; three with the A's and two with the Yankees. The Hertford, North Carolina native finished his career with 224 wins and 166 losses and an earned run average of 3.26. Sadly, James Augustus Hunter was stricken with Lou Gehrig's disease later in life and died at age 53 of injuries suffered in a fall probably caused by his illness.

Billy Williams spent most of career with the Chicago Cubs. He was NL Rookie of the Year in 1961, a 6-time All-Star, set a record for consecutive games played with 1,117 (later broken by Steve Garvey with 1,207). He finished with .290 career batting average and 426 home runs. "Sweet Swingin" Billy Williams had at least 20 home runs for 14 seasons and at least 84 RBI for 13.

Ray Dandridge was a star of the Negro Leagues, so unfortunately much of American didn't see him play. He played for teams in Detroit, Nashville and Newark. He also played in the Mexican League in 1940 with, and against, Major Leaguers. He led the league with a .369 batting average but it was his fielding at 3rd base that sparkled. Monte Irvin, who played against major leaguers and Negro Leaguers said Dandridge was the one of the best 3rd basemen he'd ever seen. Dandridge was finally signed by the New York Giants in 1949 but sent to Triple-A Minneapolis. Despite being named league MVP and leading his team to the championship, Dandridge was never called up to the majors.

• Little known fact: Catfish Hunter hit .350 for the A's in 1971 (before the DH), 36 hits in 103 at bats, 1 HR, 12 RBI.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
The disappearance of 20-game winners
The Hall of Fame

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