What Could Have Been
From 1976 – 1979, J.R. Richards was the leading strikeout pitcher in the NL. Batters feared him. Dale Murphy of the Braves declared that he was the toughest pitcher he ever faced. His fastball/slider had put him in two All Star games. His 313 strikeouts in 1979 stood as an Astro record until Gerritt Cole broke it in 2019. His strikeout ratio was better than Nolan Ryan’s.In a game against the Braves on July 14, Richards left after the 4th inning complaining of a dead right arm, numbness in his fingers, and difficulty reading the catcher’s signs, He was put on the DL list. Two weeks later while playing pregame catch in the outfield, JR collapsed. He was diagnosed with a blood clot in his neck resulting in a stroke. Through several unsuccessful comeback attempts, he could not regain his skills. After leaving baseball JR floundered, eventually leading to homelessness. He later became a Christian minister spreading his story of overcoming adversity to church congregations across the USA. J.R. died of a Covid-related illness in 2021 at the age of 71. 2021.