J.R. Richard's exposé on EPSN (3am EST)

[DavidS]

It's starting soon...

J.R. Richard's exposé on EPSN (3am EST). It talks about the story of J.R. career, his homelessness, and his recover helping kids.

Just incase any of you night owls are up.
:cool:

Here's a little history for those that don't know about him...
http://www.astrosdaily.com/files/team/richard/richard.html

[DavidS]

Scratch that....those bastages didn't show it! :mad: They cut to the SL vs Cubs game at 3:20am.

I guess they showed the story early last night.

[redgoose]

I saw it on SportCenter tonight.

In a nutchell they tell how he was one of the best pitchers in the league if not the best.

Then he started having fatigue in his arm and most the media and Astros organization didn't believe it. Team Doctors cleared him to keep pitching. Then he finally had a stroke (i think cause of a clogged vein or something on his left side).

It also mentioned how he was a cocaine user and that may of helped caused the stroke. He tried to make a comeback but couldn't because of the damage to the left side of his body.

I think that's about all. Pretty sad story. That guy had HOF written all over him if you've ever seen him pitch. :(

[hjg877]

Well, the story wasn't just about his pitching career and stroke; just about every TRUE 'Stros fan knew about J.R., his legacy, how great he was, and his troubles. Even I was aware of his magnitude, and he was before my time.

After talking about his career (and as redgoose said) and hinting that his health issues possibly had to do with his coke addiciton. they queued the sad music and told his life story since.

He had basically been forgotten, lost all of his money, his house was foreclosed on in '93, and became a drug and alcohol addict, and ended up living under the Beechnut and 59 highway (VERY close to my old place!). He said he was at the point where he had nothing to live for, no one caring about him, and was very aware of his problems that he could be drinking himself to death.

Well, then Bob Watson and Jimmy Wynn were interviewed (and this isn't trying to be funny, but I seriously thought it kind of interesting that former black Astros were being interviewed; doesn't mean anything, but I still don't see why people think the organization is racist[/off topic]). Wynn mentioned how he called up Watson and wanted to know if he knew that Richard was homeless.

Nobody knew of his financial troubles.

So then the story just fast-forwards to today where he now coahces and teaches youngsters at a baseball camp/school/program type thing in Houston.

And was that the same Dan Patrick from CHannel 11 as the ESPN one?!!?? Couldn't be!:eek:

[redgoose]

Originally posted by hjg877

And was that the same Dan Patrick from CHannel 11 as the ESPN one?!!?? Couldn't be!:eek:

That's exactly what i was thinking. He was alot younger but didn't really look like him. :confused:

[DavidS]

I saw him pitch many times (74-80). I liked him better than Ryan. He had more to his arsenal than just a fast ball. J.R. reminded me more of a mix between Ryan and Greg Maddux (velocity + location, location, location!) :cool:

What I was more interested in this EPSN story was about the "living under the Beechnut and 59 highway" thing. I wanted to know what happened to him POST-93. That part of the story I'm blurry on.

[hjg877]

Originally posted by redgoose
That's exactly what i was thinking. He was alot younger but didn't really look like him. :confused:

Yeah I wondered too and felt maybe that was a reason that so many people on this board think the ESPN Dan Patrick is a 'smug bitch', but no, they just genuinely think he's a smug bitch, lol.

I just did a little research and I think it was just a nme coincidence. This guy (http://www.aimpress.com/patrick.htm) works with KPRC radio with Matt Thomas, which would make sense. And that picture looks more like what was on the Richard piece.

Is it a good thing or a bad thing there are two different Dan Patricks?!?!

[Behad]

Definitely a different Dan Patrick. The old Dan Patrick went on to buy an AM radio station, KSEV 700 I believe.

EDIT: Here's the old Dan Patrick (http://www.ksevradio.com/BioDanPatrick.asp), from his bio on 00AM KSEV The Voice (http://www.ksevradio.com/default.asp)


Originally posted by hjg877:
and ended up living under the Beechnut and 59 highway (VERY close to my old place!).


Did you stay at the next exit down 59?:p :D

[Smokey]

It's pretty sad the Astros don't have a relationship with him cause he sued them. People think that's is one of the reasons his jersey won't be retired.

[bobrek]

Originally posted by Smokey
It's pretty sad the Astros don't have a relationship with him cause he sued them. People think that's is one of the reasons his jersey won't be retired.

It may be more of the cocaine issue than the lawsuit. If I remember correctly, Richard had a few lawsuits outstanding at the time of the cocaine revelation. After that, the lawsuits were dropped.

[Austin70]

Originally posted by DavidS
Scratch that....those bastages didn't show it! :mad: They cut to the SL vs Cubs game at 3:20am.

I guess they showed the story early last night.

I was up then also, I went to the bathroom at comercial brake, and came back and the ball game was on. I was like " what the hell?"

[Nashvegas]

he used to live in my neighborhood.....Sageglen. I went to school with his kids.

Sad story, just imagine that series with the Phillies and Mets if we had JR.

[Joshfast]

I was born in 1980 so I never saw J.R. Richard pitch. Watching that segment on ESPN last night and wow - his fastball exploded to the plate. Texas and fireballers.... must be the water or the BBQ.

[Groogrux]

I guess Dish Network hasn't picked up this EPSN network yet.

[hjg877]

Originally posted by Behad

Did you stay at the next exit down 59?:p :D

How did you know?!?! Maybe I cleaned your windshield once and you never paid?

Watch out, holmes.:D

[Nashvegas]

this should have been the perfect time to retire the guys number...not necessarily tonight, but maybe before the softball game/hr contest.