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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Dave Boswell: 1945-2012

Dave Boswell, a right-handed pitcher who won 20 games for the Twins in 1969 before retiring two years later at the age of 26, has died, team president Dave St. Peter announced this morning on Twitter. Boswell was 67.

“Sad day for the Twins with news of the passing of former pitcher Dave Boswell,” St. Peter tweeted (@TwinsPrez). “Sympathies to Dave’s bride Lou and the entire Boswell family.”

Born in Baltimore in 1945, Boswell signed with the Twins in 1963 and reached the majors one year later as a 19-year-old phenom. He went 6-5 for the Twins in 1965, when they reached their first World Series.

In 1967, Boswell notched 200 strikeouts, and he went 20-12 with a 3.23 ERA in 1969. That fall, he locked horns with Orioles lefthander Dave McNally in a scoreless pitchers’ duel that stretched into extra innings at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. Boswell pitched 10 2/3 innings, finally giving up a run in the 11th, and the Orioles won 1-0.

Repoz Posted: June 12, 2012 at 11:52 AM | 19 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: obit

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1. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: June 12, 2012 at 12:16 PM (#4154654)

I was in Cleveland in July of 1974 and went to see one of the most anticipated matchups of the year, Gaylord Perry vs Catfish Hunter. Perry had just come off a 15 game winning streak that had been snapped by the A's in his previous start, and was looking to start a new streak. Huge crowd, great game, A's won 3 to 2, and it was a night to remember. The rest of the series was an afterthought.

And then the next night, same teams, same stadium, Dick Bosman pitched a no-hitter. Cudda shudda wudda.

2. Guapo Posted: June 12, 2012 at 12:22 PM (#4154659)

What the hell does that have to do with Frank Tanana?

3. BDC

Posted: June 12, 2012 at 12:36 PM (#4154672)

Um, Andy, Dick Bosman is not the same as Dave Boswell, being among other things still alive :(

Boswell was one of many pitchers in that era who got a lot of work young and had a truncated career, though he saw the limelight: a 20-win season and several postseason shares. I had an uncle who worked for the Twins in the '60s and got me a signed baseball, which I just checked for Boswell's signature; not there. Oh well. Rest in Peace.

4. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: June 12, 2012 at 12:49 PM (#4154690)

Boswell was one of many pitchers in that era who got a lot of work young and had a truncated career, though he saw the limelight: a 20-win season and several postseason shares. I had an uncle who worked for the Twins in the '60s and got me a signed baseball, which I just checked for Boswell's signature; not there. Oh well. Rest in Peace

What happened to him? Did he blow out his arm or something?

He was there then suddenly he wasn't. (Or was it PTSD from getting clocked by Billy?)

5. BDC

Posted: June 12, 2012 at 01:04 PM (#4154712)

What happened to him? Did he blow out his arm or something?

My old Neft/Cohen encyclopedia indicates a back injury.

6. Dag Nabbit has the talking pillow Posted: June 12, 2012 at 01:27 PM (#4154747)

My old Neft/Cohen encyclopedia

The greatest of all the encyclopedias.

7. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: June 12, 2012 at 02:14 PM (#4154796)

Um, Andy, Dick Bosman is not the same as Dave Boswell, being among other things still alive :(

Couldn't tell em apart then, and obviously still can't tell em apart now. But it's nice to know that at least one of them is alive. Is he still the Nats' pitching coach?

8. BDC

Posted: June 12, 2012 at 03:02 PM (#4154854)

Bosman is a minor-league pitching coordinator for the Rays. My most vivid memory of Bosman is him wearing in-line skates in the Rangers' clubhouse.

9. There are no words... (Met Fan Charlie) Posted: June 12, 2012 at 03:23 PM (#4154890)

Wasn't Bosman the last "expansion" Washington Senator in the bigs?

10. gef the talking mongoose Posted: June 12, 2012 at 04:20 PM (#4154949)

Memory tells me Bosman was the AA Biscuits' first pitching coach here in Montgomery. I think Xavier Hernandez succeeded him.

11. Baseballs Most Beloved Figure Posted: June 12, 2012 at 05:32 PM (#4155013)

Wasn't Bosman the last "expansion" Washington Senator in the bigs?

I believe that was Toby Harrah, who retired after the 1986 season.

12. jingoist Posted: June 12, 2012 at 06:53 PM (#4155064)

Wasn't Bosman the last "expansion" Washington Senator in the bigs?

No, that was Enrico Palazo who went on to have a fabulous career as an opera singer and guest umpire

13. Coot Veal and Cot Deal make $486 every day Posted: June 12, 2012 at 07:48 PM (#4155102)

I suffered from Boswell/Bosman syndrome as well, with the added complication of Dave Baldwin in my personal mis-memory mix... Dave Baldwin's web site.

Rest in peace, Mr. Boswell.

14. Benji Posted: June 12, 2012 at 07:58 PM (#4155111)

Saw Boswell pitch the second game of a doubleheader at McArthur Stadium while trying a comeback. 6 2/3 inning no-hitter until George Pena singled. It was pretty thrilling. RIP.

15. The Yankee Clapper Posted: June 12, 2012 at 09:05 PM (#4155165)

“Sad day for the Twins with news of the passing of former pitcher Dave Boswell,” St. Peter tweeted

Talk about a shout out!

16. Howie Menckel Posted: June 12, 2012 at 10:05 PM (#4155211)

I have mixed up many MLB players, but not Bosman and Boswell for some reason.

17. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: June 12, 2012 at 10:14 PM (#4155217)

I have mixed up many MLB players, but not Bosman and Boswell for some reason.

my main problem in later life was Candy Maldonado and Carmello Martinez--which was which?

18. vortex of dissipation Posted: June 12, 2012 at 10:21 PM (#4155220)

I suffered from Boswell/Bosman syndrome as well, with the added complication of Dave Baldwin in my personal mis-memory mix... Dave Baldwin's web site.

Dave Baldwin's book is well worth reading. He's an intelligent guy (he got a Ph.D in genetics after retiring from baseball), and his stories of minor league life in the 1960s are interesting. Plus he's got some good Ted Williams stories...

19. Wins Above Paul Westerberg Posted: June 12, 2012 at 10:36 PM (#4155230)

I like the think he and Billy Martin are fighting in one of heaven's seedier bars right now...

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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Dave Boswell: 1945-2012

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