RIP JR Richard

[TheSportsPredictor]

Phenomenal pitcher until an on-field stroke. Lived a tough life after baseball.

 

[Scout]

**** Houston.

Remembering J.R. Richard, And Wondering Why The Hell The Astros Haven't Retired His Number

 

[maumann]

Prototype for today's generation of tall, hard-throwing intimidators on the mound. Didn't really harness his control until he was 26, but from then on, he was brilliant. Averaged more than one strikeout an inning in 1978 and 1979. Was on his way to a career year in 1980 when he collapsed playing catch.

Was actually surprised that he was still living. Thought he had passed away several years ago.

RIP, James Rodney.

 

[Scout]

RIP

Nastiest pitcher of his time.

 

[Songbird]

Barely remember seeing him pitch in my formative years. Had some of his baseball cards. I was 9 when he had the stroke. I always knew him as the guy who everyone said had killer heat who all of a sudden one day never pitched again.

 

[poindexter]

I would have put him first in category of "I thought he was already dead."

RIP

 

[qtlaw]

**** Houston.

Remembering J.R. Richard, And Wondering Why The Hell The Astros Haven't Retired His Number

Dead on. I’m with you. Screw the Astros. What they did to JR is abhorrent.

Saw him regularly against the Giants and he was a bad dude.

 

[The Big Ragu]

I really enjoyed his work in the Bad News Bears in Breaking Training.

RIP.

Seriously, for 2. 3 years he was as good as they get. The stroke was tragic, but one effect is that it immortalized him in a way that he probably wouldn't have been remembered.

 

[Scout]

Barely remember seeing him pitch in my formative years. Had some of his baseball cards. I was 9 when he had the stroke. I always knew him as the guy who everyone said had killer heat who all of a sudden one day never pitched again.

IIRC he was a couple days away from a stroke and pitched there with a blood clot in his arm.

 

[SixToe]

Somewhere I have a baseball with autographs from Richard, Joe Niekro, Jose Cruz, Alan Ashby and maybe one or two others. Got them at a Braves game in I think 1978.

 

[Starman]

The Astros team management at the time strongly hinted Richard was either malingering or doping before the stroke.

 

[Scout]

I really enjoyed his work in the Bad News Bears in Breaking Training.

RIP.

Seriously, for 2. 3 years he was as good as they get. The stroke was tragic, but one effect is that it immortalized him in a way that he probably wouldn't have been remembered.

He would be a black Randy Johnson.

 

[TigerVols]

I would have put him first in category of "I thought he was already dead."

RIP

I totally thought this was one of those SJ threads that pop up from time to time where someone runs across an ages old RIP tweet and thinks it's new.

But damn was JR Richard fun to watch.

 

[Corky Ramirez up on 94th St.]

If they have him, do they beat the Phillies in the NLCS that year, the (IMO) greatest LCS series of all time? Certainly have to wonder.

RIP. I was too young to have seen him live but always one of those mysteries as to how good he could have been.

 

[MileHigh]

Loved watching him pitch.

RIP.

 

[Ookpik]

RIP.

 

[Slacker]

He would be a black Randy Johnson.

I like to think Randy Johnson was a white J.R. Richard.

 

[DanOregon]

Nolan, JR, Forsch and Niekro on the same staff was pretty unfair. Andujar in the pen, Sambito to close. Those were some great Astros teams.

 

[Jake from State Farm]

He lived under an overpass for a time in the 90s
I hope he has found peace
RIP

 

[Scout]

I like to think Randy Johnson was a white J.R. Richard.

Well played.