James Rodney Richard was born on this day 1950. He is 63 today. J.R. Richard was one of the most intimidating pitchers I’ve ever seen. How intimidating was he? On the Houston Astros when Richard and a fellow named Nolan Ryan were on the team together- Nolan Ryan was the second most intimidating-and the second best pitcher on that team. J.R. caused a lot of pretty good hitters to be call in sick for a day. I know as a Pirate fan he was one of those pitchers I didn’t want coming up against my Pirates. Nolan Ryan-he could be beat. J.R. Richard for a couple years was pretty tough to beat. They played together in 1980. I’d say in the late 1970’s most hitters would rather take their chances going against Ryan. J.R. Richard was nasty.

J.R. Richard was Randy Johnson before Randy Johnson. He was 6’8″ 220. Hitters said that when he released the ball it seemed like he was right on top of them. He had 4 1/2 years of excellence and he was getting better and better. Right after the All-Star Game in 198o though it all fell apart. J.R. was complaining about not feeling well, that his arm felt dead. The Astro management thought he was just jaking it. Then one day in practice J.R. had a stroke. He never pitched another game in the major leagues. Before the stroke in 1980 he was 10-4 with an ERA of 1.90. He was 30 years old. I wonder if he had stayed healthy what he would have accomplished. Randy Johnson’s great years were in his 30’s. Not saying J.R. would have done what “Big Unit” did in his career but J.R. was something else. In his career he had a record of 107-71 with a 3.15 ERA. He led the league in strikeouts twice. I loved to watch J.R. Richard pitch. What might have been….

J.R Richard would try a comeback in baseball but it wasn’t to be. He would be homeless for a period of time. The last I heard he was a minister.