I first heard of Steve Dalkowski a couple years ago from a dad on my baseball team, and the knucklehead who claims he could throw 120 mph reminded me of the story I found a couple years ago about him, so enjoy and tell me what you think
Steve is the guy "Nuke LaLoosh" in the movie Bull Durham was based on. The true story is a little sadder than the movie. It's an old article, but still interesting.
Full Article
Minor League Legends: Steve Dalkowski
AUGUST 24, 1999
by JARED HOFFMAN The Sporting News
For the book "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players", The Sporting News asked several former players and managers to rank their top ten in various categories. Former big-league manager Gene Mauch selected the hardest throwing pitchers he ever saw and the list included some of the usual suspects: Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens and Bob Feller. However, at No. 5 on that list was a name that made probably made many people go, "Huh?": Steve Dalkowski.
Dalkowski gained legendary status with a fastball that many who saw him pitch believe was 110 mph. The only thing that kept Dalkowski from ever reaching the majors was that he couldn't throw his fastball with any sort of control -- in 1960, he set a California League record with 262 walks in 170 innings. He also recorded 262 strikeouts. For his minor league career, Delkowski had 1,396 strikeouts and 1,354 walks in 995 innings.
Those who saw Dalkowski pitch believe he was the hardest thrower in baseball history. In a Newsday article from 1979, several baseball men discussed Dalkowski's and his blazing fastball.
"He was unbelievable," said former Orioles manager Earl Weaver. "He threw a lot faster than (Nolan) Ryan. It's hard to believe but he did."
Yankees outfielder Paul Blair faced hard-throwers such as Sandy Koufax and Ryan but still remembers facing Dalkowski in spring training. "He threw the hardest I ever saw. He was also the wildest I ever saw."
Dalkowski's wildness frightened even the bravest of hitters. Ted Williams faced Dalkowski once in a spring training game and that was enough. "Fastest ever," said Williams. "I never want to face him again."
Here a just a few examples of how Dalkowski gained legendary status:
One night at Kingsport, Dalkowski threw a pitch that tore off part of a batter's ear. "It made me so scared, I didn't even want to look at it," said Dalkowski. Many people believe after this incident Dalkowski feared one of errant pitches would kill someone and that only contributed more to his wildness.
Dalkowski won a $5 bet with teammate Herman Starrette, who said Dalkowski couldn't throw a baseball through a wall. Dalkowski warmed up and then moved 15 feet away from the wooden outfield fence. His first pitch went right through the boards.
In one minor league game, Dalkowski threw three pitches that penetrated the backstop and sent fans scattering.
In a high school game, Dalkowski threw a no-hit, no-run game with 18 strikeouts and 18 walks.
In an Eastern League game, Dalkowski struck out 27 and walked 16 while throwing 283 pitches. In another game, he was pulled in the second inning after throwing 120 pitches.
At Aberdeen in the Northern League, Dalkowski threw a one-hitter and lost 9-8.
In 1960 at Class A Stockton, Dalkowski threw a pitch that broke an umpire's mask in three places, knocking him 18 feet back and sending him to a hospital for three days with a concussion.
In 1959, Dalkowski set a Northern League record with 21 strikeouts in a game.
In 1960 at Stockton on the California League, Dalkowski struck out 19 and limited Reno to four hits but walked nine and lost 8-3.
The Orioles tried a variety of things to help Dalkowski find the strike zone with little success. However, Earl Weaver, who was managing in the Orioles' farm system, helped build Dalkowski's confidence. In one stretch for Elmira in 1962, Weaver said Dalkowski had a 52-inning stretch where he struck out 104, walked only 11 and allowed one earned run.
The following spring, Dalkowski seemed poised to make the Orioles club. However, his career was ended on a throw to first. In an exhibition game against the Yankees, Dalkowski fielded a bunt from pitcher Jim Bouton. Dalkwoski threw to first and as he did, felt something pop in his arm. He missed most of the season and when he returned his fastball had leveled off to 90 mph. He was released by the Orioles organization and was out of organized baseball by 1966.
Dalkowski became a migrant farm worker after retiring. Dalkowski was a heavy drinker during his playing days and his drinking continued to escalate after his baseball career was over. In an article in The Sporting News from June 30, 1979, Cal Ripken Sr. said, "Dalkowski could do some drinking. He just couldn't stop. He liked to stay out, drink and have some fun. He'd always be borrowing money to but booze and was broke from payday to payday."
The Association of Professional Ballplayers in America, an organization formed in the early 1920s to take care of former baseball people who became ill or indigent, tired to help Dalkowski.
Chuck Stevens, director of the APBA, said, "Dalkowski had a 14-foot medical sheet. They tell me he had a 35 common drunk arrests in every town in America. It's a very sad story. But, we had him absolutely dry for three months. We put him in an alcoholic rehabilitation center and found him a job. For three months, Steve Dalkowski was a productive citizen."
However a few months later, Dalkowski was drinking again and the APBA stopped its assistance because the money they gave Dalkowski was being used to buy liquor. Dalkowski's failing health prevented him from working. In the late-1980s, Dalkowski was living in a small apartment in southern California and almost broke. His whereabouts today are unknown.
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