Thursday, June 29, 2017

no. 675 - dave boswell


Who is the man: Dave Boswell struggled with what proved to be a career-ending arm injury during the 1970 season. He went on the disabled list for good in August of that year, sporting a 6.39 ERA.

Can ya dig it: Boswell had been released by the Twins in April 1971, signed by the Tigers, let go by the Tigers and then signed by Orioles in May. None of that is reflected in this card. Perhaps March was the limit for airbrushing a player into his new duds for the last series.

Right on: This is his final Topps card.

You see that cat Boswell is a bad mother: Boswell won 20 games for the AL West champion Twins in 1969. He was known for being a no-nonsense, fearless hurler, although on the temperamental side.

Shut your mouth: Boswell's most famous moment is his fight with his own manager Billy Martin. Boswell supposedly got into an argument with pitching coach Art Fowler at a bar during the '69 season. Teammate Bobby Allison took a heated Boswell outside and ended up getting clocked by Boswell. Martin then came out of the bar and wailed on Boswell, knocking him out.

No one understands him but his woman: Boswell suffered his arm injury during the 1969 ALCS, throwing a slider to the Orioles' Frank Robinson in the 10th inning of Game 2. Boswell kept pitching though and was ineffective the rest of his career, which ended prematurely in 1972 at the age of 26.


(A word about the back): Regarding the 173 strikeouts in 1964, Boswell was a prodigy in high school and tore up the minor leagues. He was once referred to as the American League's answer to Sandy Koufax.

3 comments:

  1. Billy Martin sure had a talent for finding trouble. I know the guy liked to fight and was tough, but how did Martin, who had to be in his late 40s or early 50s by then, knock out a guy half his age 40 pounnds heavier? I'm guessing there was a sicker punch involved

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    1. Martin was 41 in 69. If the fight was early in the season, he have still been 40!

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    2. http://legendsrevealed.com/sports/2015/04/20/did-billy-martin-once-knock-a-player-out-during-a-bar-brawl-while-he-was-that-players-manager/

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