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- ⚾ Straight to Majors David Clyde
⚾ Straight to Majors David Clyde
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June 7, 1973, The Texas Rangers select high school pitching phenom David Clyde with the first overall pick in the 1973 amateur draft and will bring him straight to the major leagues, a move that will have a detrimental impact on his future. Dave Winfield, picked fourth overall by the San Diego Padres, will also go straight to the major leagues, but with much better results; Winfield was also taken in the NBA and NFL drafts. John Stearns is taken second by the Philadelphia Phillies (and was also picked in the NFL draft), and the Milwaukee Brewers, picking third, take Robin Yount, who will be their starting shortstop by the 1974 Opening Day. Yount and Winfield will both join the 3,000 hit club and reach the Hall of Fame at the end of their careers.
More on Clyde:
Clyde was a high school phenom. In his senior year, Clyde was 18 and 0 and gave up 3 earned runs all year in 148 innings and threw 5 no-hitters. He was dubbed the next Sandy Koufax. Clyde was the most sought-after player in the country and the Rangers drafted Clyde with the # 1 draft pick in the 73 draft. The owner of the Rangers, Bob Short, had a team with lousy attendance and the plan was to use Clyde for a few games and then send him to the minors to work on his arm strength for the rigors of MLB. He, made his debut just 20 days after his last High School game against the Twins. He had a rough start but settled down and won his first-ever MLB start in front of the 1st sell-out crowd in Rangers history. Short and the Rangers abandoned the plan to send Clyde down to the minor leagues seeing they had a drawing card to bring fans to the ballpark . Many disagreed with Short as Clyde had pitched a full HS season. . He finished the 73 season with a 4 and 6 record.
In 1974 there again was a dispute about what was best for Clyde to develop. The dispute caused the Rangers GM to resign as manager Billy Martin wanted Clyde on the team. Clyde finished with a 3 and 9 record.
In 1975 after one start Clyde injured his shoulder. This injury was the beginning of the end of his MLB career . He would have shoulder surgery and then spend 3 years in the minors and was traded by the Rangers to the Indians in 1978. He would go 8 and 11 for the Indians in 1978. In 1979 he would tear his rotator cuff and pitched his last MLB game on Aug 7, 1979
He tried to comeback with the Astros but never made it back to the MLB. Clydes career was ruined by the financial mess of Bob Short . The Rangers averaged 6000 fans a game when Clyde didn’t pitch and Short was on the verge of bankruptcy so Clyde not only stayed but many games he was left in to please the fans according to Whitey Herzog .
Many felt if Clyde was handled correctly and developed slowly he would have had a good career . Clyde was never bitter about his handling. He overcame alcohol abuse and went to work for his father-in-law in the lumber business for 20 years.
Great article on David Clyde and where he is now.
Game of the Day
June 6, 1970 Chicago White Sox (Tommy John) vs New York Yankees (Fritz Peterson)
Did you know?
June 7, 1938, at Fenway Park umpire Bill McGowan orders Cleveland pitcher Johnny Allen to trim off the tattered sleeves of his undershirt because they distract opposing batters. The ill-tempered Allen had cut the sleeves of one of his sweatshirts and worn it under his jersey during several of his starts in ’38. He claimed that the purpose of the alteration was to let more air in. Allen refuses and is ejected and fined $250 in blatant defiance of manager Ossie Vitt
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TRIVIA:
Which Hall of Famer was the first to hit pinch-hit grand slams in both leagues?
Hint: #1 He led the majors in home runs in four seasons but led his league in strikeouts seven times.
Hint: #2 He has the fifth-highest WAR for any player born in the state of Maryland.
June 7 1933 -- Cleveland Indians general manager Billy Evans fires manager Roger Peckinpaugh and hires Walter Johnson to take over. Bibb Falk manages for one game until Johnson arrives.
June 7 1939 -- In his first at bat since April 29, Joe DiMaggio hits a triple to pace the New York Yankees to a 5 - 2 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park.
June 7, 1954, At Sportsman Park Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella homers in the 8th to tack on some insurance for the Dodgers, unfortunately St Louis scores 3 times in the bottom of 9th to tie the game. Campy was not done though, he stole home in the top of the 12th to help seal a 7-5 extra-inning win for the Dodgers
June 7, 1959, Hoyt Wilhelm of the Baltimore Orioles wins his ninth consecutive game by hurling his third straight shutout. The future Hall of Famer lowers his season ERA to a minuscule 0.99.
June 7, 1966 -- The A's select future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson in the first round (2nd pick) of the amateur draft. The Mets, with the first overall pick, choose Steve Chilcott, a high school catcher who will never play a day in the major league.
June 7, 1967 -- The Reds play their major-league record 11th consecutive one-run game, losing to San Francisco at Crosley Field, 4-3. Cincinnati's 19 year-old fireballer Gary Nolan, who strikes out 15 opponents, including fanning Willie Mays four times, a first in the Say Hey Kid's Hall of Fame career, takes the loss after Willie McCovey blasts a three-run eighth-inning round-tripper, and reliever Bob Lee allows the decisive run to cross the plate in the frame.
June 7, 1974, game at Comiskey Park: “Tonight’s game will be delayed by...popcorn.” In the eighth inning of what had already been a lively game between the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox, things took a turn when smoke began billowing from beneath the right field stands. A fire, started by an overheated popcorn machine, forced fans to flee, and even Red Sox players—who had been ejected earlier—evacuated the visitors’ clubhouse as smoke filled the air. Firefighters arrived on the scene, battling the blaze with 22 pieces of equipment and 75 personnel. Despite the chaos, the game resumed after a 20-minute delay, as fans amused themselves running the bases and even attempting to steal home plate. White Sox organist Nancy Faust lightened the mood, playing “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” while the crowd danced and cheered. Miraculously, no serious injuries occurred, and after the game, fans were treated to a literal fireworks show. This fiery twist added an unforgettable chapter to an already memorable night at the ballpark.
June 7 1977 --The Chicago White Sox select Harold Baines with the number-one pick in the June draft. Chicago's owner Bill Veeck had first seen Baines play Little League ball and had followed his career. Pitcher Bill Gullickson is taken with the second pick by the Montreal Expos, and the Milwaukee Brewers take University of Minnesota infielder Paul Molitor with the third pick
June 7, 1982, Steve Garvey of the Los Angeles Dodgers becomes the fifth player in history to appear in his 1,000th consecutive game. The durable first baseman goes hitless in the Dodgers’ 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Garvey joins Lou Gehrig, Everett Scott, Billy Williams, and Joe Sewell, Dodger infielder The first baseman, establishing a National League record, will appear in 1,207 consecutive games, before the streak ends next season when he breaks his thumb in a collision at home plate, playing for the Padres.
June 7, 1983, Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies surpasses Nolan Ryan in the all-time strikeout chase. Carlton’s third-inning punch-out of St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lonnie Smith gives him a career total of 3,522, overall he fans six batters in a 2 - 1 loss to St. Louis to bring his career total to 3,526. Ryan strikes out three San Francisco Giants while getting no-decision in the Houston Astros' 4 - 2 win, leaving him with 3,525. In May, Carlton had moved past Walter Johnson for the all-time lead in major league strikeouts.
June 7, 2007, Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling comes within one out of throwing his first no-hitter. With two outs in the ninth, Oakland's Shannon Stewart lined a first-pitch single to center field to break up Schilling's no-hit bid. It was the third one-hitter of the right-hander's career. Mark Ellis pops out for the final out of his 1-0, one-hit shutout against the Athletics. The Red Sox lone run came on a David Ortiz homerun in the first.
Quote of the day:
"The correlation I felt was like going from high school to performing open heart surgery. I felt that's how much better I had to be." - David Clyde, August 2003, to Baseball Digest
Milestones
Birthdays:Highlights: Herb Score | Debuts:Notable: Dave Roberts |
Final Games:Highlights: Tony Lazzeri | Passings:Notable: Jose Pagan |
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