SAM MCDOWELL·1969

The summer of ’69 in Cleveland belonged to the long left arm of Sudden Sam. He threw 285 innings, finished 18 of his 30 starts, and shut out four clubs. The heater arrived without warning, calm delivery and then a strike that left batters checking the umpire for a mistake. He whiffed 279 men, tops in the American League. The walks were the tax on all that thunder, but on any given night, Sam was the storm. The lore? It came one swing at a time.

285 IP

Workhorse summer — eighteen complete games and four shutouts.

279 K

Tops in the American League again — batters checking the umpire for a mistake.

THE STORM

On any given night in Cleveland, Sam was the weather.

Sam McDowell, Cleveland Indians, circa 1968. Associated Press press photo / Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (US — no notice).