RIP Gil McDougald

Score is beloved by generations of Indians fans because not only was he the highly-touted lefty that was destined to break all the strikeout records...he struck out 245 and 263 in his first two seasons in the big leagues...but after his playing career he was the Indians radio play-by-play guy for a couple of decades. He was one of those loveable, aww shucks kinds of announcers who made plenty of gaffes. The Indians in the late 1950's were set up on the mound with Score, Bob Lemon and Bob Feller still going strong towards the end of his career. Score was hit with the line drive by McDougald and his sight was never the same. After winning 16 as a rookie (was an All-Star and won Rookie of the Year honors) and 20 wins in his second season (also an All-Star) he never won more than nine games the rest of his career. Score claimed, in the Terry Pluto book "The Curse of Calavito" that it was not his eye injury that ended his career, that he developed a sore arm and had bad mechanics trying to protect it. Met Herb a few times when I was just starting out and you will never meet a nicer guy. He passed away in 2008.

 

Herb Score and Mark Fidrych were very much star-crossed in similar fashion.

 

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It might have been interested to see McDougald with the expansion Angels in '61, because they were a strong team. He very well could have been a star in his own right.

Also no question that Stengel might have wasted him. The Ol' Perfesser liked to tinker with his lineups: platoons, situational substitutions, situational starting pitchers. A big working theory is that Whitey Ford would have gotten to 300 wins had Stengel pitched him more regularly instead of picking his spots in big games.

McDougald was the Michael Young of the '50, an All-Star at three infield positions, and might have hit for more power in any other stadium.