J.R. Richard
From BR Bullpen
James Rodney Richard
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 8", Weight 222 lb.
- Debut September 5, 1971
- Final Game July 14, 1980
- Born March 7, 1950 in Vienna, LA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
A powerful pitcher who twice struck out over 300 in a season, J.R. Richard suffered a stroke shortly after appearing in his first All-Star Game in 1980. After a long recovery, he attempted to make a comeback but never pitched in the major leagues again. He briefly found himself living under a bridge as he adjusted to life after baseball.
In his first major league game on September 5, 1971(Boxscore), Richard struck out 15 batters, tying the record for most strikeouts in a debut set by Karl Spooner of the Dodgers against the Giants on September 22, 1954.
Richard is now a member of the Texas Southern coaching staff in Houston, TX.
A movie about his life appeared in 2005: Resurrection: The J.R. Richard Story.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- NL All-Star (1980)
- NL ERA Leader (1979)
- 2-time NL Strikeouts Leader (1978 & 1979)
- 15 Win Seasons: 4 (1976-1979)
- 20 Win Seasons: 1 (1976)
- 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 5 (1975-1979)
- 200 Strikeouts Seasons: 4 (1976-1979)
- 300 Strikeouts Seasons: 2 (1978 & 1979)
[edit] Further Reading
- Thomas Boswell: "Seasons of the Hill: The Uneasy Ghost of J.R. Richard" in Why Time Begins on Opening Day, Penguin Books, New York, 1984, pp. 141-146
