Cleveland strikeout king Sam McDowell dies at 84, leaving a legacy of redemption

CLEVELAND (AP) — Sam McDowell, a six-time All Star who led the American League in strikeouts four times before becoming a counselor for athletes suffering from addiction issues and depression, died Monday at his home in The Villages, Florida. He was 84.

“Sam spent eleven of his fifteen seasons in a Cleveland uniform as one of the game’s most feared hurlers. A strikeout king. He was a cherished member of our Alumni Ambassador program and loved sharing stories with our fans when he visited Progressive Field. Most importantly, Sam’s life was a story of redemption,” Guardians senior vice president of public affairs Bob DiBiasio said in a statement.

McDowell’s baseball career and post-career sobriety served as the inspiration for the Sam Malone character from the iconic television sitcom “Cheers.”

McDowell had a 15-year career in the major leagues from 1961-74, including 11 in Cleveland. The left-hander had a 141-134 record in 425 games, including 346 starts. He had 2,453 strikeouts, 103 complete games and 23 shutouts. McDowell also pitched for San Francisco, the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh.

In 1965, McDowell went 17-11 and led the American League in ERA (2.18) and strikeouts (325). He was 20-12 in 1970 and led the AL in both strikeouts (304) and walks (131). Cleveland traded him to San Francisco after the 1971 season.

McDowell’s 9.21 strikeouts per nine innings remains a Cleveland franchise record and his 2,159 strikeouts with the club are second. He was inducted in the franchise’s hall of fame in 2006.

McDowell said in his 2022 autobiography that he attempted suicide in 1963, but survived because when he pulled the trigger it was on the lone dead shell among live rounds in the chamber. He quit drinking in 1980 and went on to earn an associate’s degree in sports psychology and addictions from the University of Pittsburgh after entering rehab.

He was certified as a counselor two years later and was a recovery consultant for the Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.). He was recognized with the B.A.T Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

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