He began life as an orphan abandoned in Seattle, grew up in foster homes and made it all the way to the top of professional baseball. He pitched a respectable six years with the San Francisco Giants, the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers. And then it all disappeared in a bad marriage, alcoholism and a horrific car crash.
...He played for the famous Sparky Anderson, manager of the Detroit Tigers, and for the disgraced Pete Rose of Cincinnati, now stripped of all baseball honours over his gambling. During his Cincinnati years, as a young member of the bullpen, Williams said he even placed bets for Rose.
And after, when Williams was traded to Detroit and Rose had been exposed, Anderson told him, “You know, Pete’s my boy” and then proceeded to play him game after game after game. Before the season was over, his arm was “blown out.”
Williams sometimes wonders if those non-stop playing days in Detroit weren’t some kind of payback over what happened to Rose. And he also wonders if Rose didn’t trade him in the first place out of jealousy. The manager’s wife and her friends would sometimes talk the young pitcher into taking them clubbing.
Reader Comments and Retorts
Go to end of page
Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.
1. Mike EmeighWilliams pitched in 42 games with the Tigers in 1989. There are a couple of stretches in that period where Williams was used frequently - he pitched three times in four days from May 19-22 and again from June 10-13 - but I don't see any clear pattern of overwork in Williams's game log. He missed a couple of weeks in early July and a month later on.
-- MWE
He doesn't look half bad in the picture for having half his face sheared off. Must have been a helluva' good plastic surgeon nearby.
His staying at such centers, unlike that of many people, is a matter of choice. I doubt someone who is visibly mentally unstable could get a job handling dynamite.
I'm not sure this article has any sources other than Williams himself. You would think that would have given the reporter some pause, but perhaps this is in the "too good to check" category.
So are you proposing that someone who is mentally stable would want a job handling dynamite?
You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.
<< Back to main