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

1. 1961-74
   McDowell's 15-year major league career, including 11 seasons with Cleveland.
2. 1963
   McDowell attempted suicide, surviving because the gun's chamber held a dead shell.
3. 1965
   He led the AL in ERA (2.18) and strikeouts (325), going 17-11.
4. 1970
   He went 20-12, leading the AL in both strikeouts (304) and walks (131).
5. after 1971 season
   Cleveland traded McDowell to San Francisco.
6. 1980
   McDowell quit drinking and later earned a sports psychology/addictions degree.

“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.”