Former Cleveland pitcher Sam McDowell dies at 84

Former Cleveland pitcher Sam McDowell, a six-time All-Star who later became a counselor for athletes dealing with addiction, died Monday, October 5, at age 84, the Cleveland Guardians announced Tuesday. The team said McDowell died at his home in The Villages, Florida. McDowell spent 11 of his 15 major-league seasons with Cleveland, where his fastball and strikeout totals made him one of the league’s leading pitchers of the 1960s. He finished his career with 2,453 strikeouts and a 141-134 record. He also pitched for the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, ending his major-league career in 1975. His standout season came in 1965, when he led the American League with a 2.18 earned-run average and 325 strikeouts. McDowell led the league in strikeouts five times, according to career accounts, and was selected to six All-Star teams. Cleveland inducted him into its franchise Hall of Fame in 2006. Guardians senior vice president of public affairs Bob DiBiasio described McDowell as a valued member of the team’s Alumni Ambassador program who enjoyed sharing stories with fans.