The Heartbreaking Tragedy of JR Richard 

I was a bartender in Houston in the late nineties/early 00's at a pool hall and JR would stop by regularly to sip a beer and listen to old jazz on the jukebox. He had an enormous laugh and if you shook his hand yours would disappear. He was quiet most of the time and knew a lot about billiards and music. Miss seeing him.

If the Astros would have taken J.R. Richards' health seriously, he probably could have had Hall of Fame career.

Can you imagine today a player this talented complaining of arms issues and being totally ignored? How could you not take care of your own player let alone your best pitcher. It’s insane to think how they treated him.

Rest In Peace uncle 😥🙏🏽 miss you big guy.

I met JR once as a kid. Couldn't have been kinder to me when I asked how his career ended because I didn't know or was at an age to fully comprehend everything so wonderfully explained in this video.

Thanks for this. I'm from Houston, and remember this well. The Astros treatment of him was disgraceful, typical of why a lot of people hate the rich.

I always wondered what happened to JR Richard. I remember watching him pitch in the all-star game. Unquestionably, the best pitcher in baseball at the time. A very sad story and a forgotten great one.

i was working in the dome as a clubhouse boy the day JR had his stroke. I am pictured in the Houston Post's story about the dreadful day along with paramedics, other clubhouse boys, and Willie Howard, a reserve OF who was on the DL. The Astros were not in the dome when this happened, but I was a 16 year old eyewitness to the kindness and great cajun culinary skills of JR Richard. He was terrifying to hit against. Greg Luzinski admitted he took days off when JR was pitching. I am writing a book, ''Clubhouse Brat'' about the years 1980-83 in the Astrodome. He was so genuine. Make no mistake, I loved Bill Virdon and he kept me in line when I could have gone very sideways as a teenager. But he was distant with some of the players and didn't know what to think of JR's shoulder woes and a lot of this had to do with the fact Nolan Ryan was signed at a $1M contract and was the THIRD best pitcher on that 1980 team. JR was indeed sore about that, having been loyal to the team for a decade. There's A LOT more to the story than we are told, and my memories of that magical time have a lot to do with JR Richard.

he was a legend. still gets talked about here in Houston. sucks his career was cut short

I grew up with the Astros through the 70s, and felt this tragedy for the Richards and the team keenly. The 1980 NLCS could have been so different. As the story was revealed, it fostered shame in the organization and love and hope for JR. Hopefully the Astros will honor him, albeit late, in some notable way. He's a huge part of the core that made Houston relevant in the late 70s.

It's a disaster he was homeless and living under a freeway bridge, right by the Astrodome where he was the king of pitching. It sucks to be homeless.

I’m from the part of Louisiana he went to high school, he should be the local legend Karl Malone is here…but I’ve never heard of him until today. That’s a shame.

He gave me a baseball at one of my first Astros games.......all I remember is that this dudes hands were ridiculously huge.....RIP

11:47 That’s legit just one of many examples of discrimination in the medical field. Really sad that a should-be-extinct stereotype ended a great career.

J.R.s slider was filth incarnate. Unhittable! My dad and I love watching him, which wasn't often here in Colorado. Wish he'd had a lot longer to play.

4:25 I can’t find any clip of it on RU-vid, but channel 13 sports anchor, the late Bob Allen did actually go on the air and admit he was wrong and make an apology during a news segment. I remember that stood out to me because my father said no one else, but him would admit to it.

This is a really sad story, but you did an amazing job telling it. It has an uplifting ending, but man his career should have been even more special than it already was. Hall of Fame was a real possibility.

Thanks for drawing attention to this recently, never seen the video by you. Great story that I had never heard before

I’m sorry for the multiple replies but you did a Historians job in your research. As you can see, we loved JR. My mom treated JR with reverence and love. You sir told a fantastic story that was long overdue. I knew JR on a more personal level and Of the press, ABC’s Bob Allen (KTRK) did openly apologize and he had the least reason to do so, demanding the team keep sending to doctors until they got it right. I would love to see you do a story on Lyman Bostock too. He came to Houston to discuss free agency but we had no space for him and he quickly signed with the Angels. His story ended tragically and suddenly and way too soon.

Great video bro JR Richards was feared what stuff the man had a story of trials and redemption unreal how bad the media and Astros treated him disgraceful RIP JR 🙏🏽You are a Hall of famer in our eyes of life.

Excellent video, Enos Cabbell interview hit it right on the head. Very sad. Didn’t realize the similarities w deGrom. LGM!

Love your videos and this is truly excellent. You deserve to be huge my guy. Love the way you told the story and wove in the other channels. Really fantastic

What a story thank you!

Most people forget how great JR was! Underrated, ya he had problems but man was he good. Thanks for doing videos on the guys sometimes people forget!

Incredible work!! I had to reference this video in a piece I wrote.

I'm not really a sports fan of any kind, but I love when RU-vid recommends cool little sports videos like this one!

Degrom is 34 years old and has 82 career wins. Even with his 3 great seasons he's not making the HOF.

Your channel is awesome. Entertaining and well researched keep it up love the style

In the late 90s I was just getting into baseball and had no idea who JR was, but one day at a game in the Dome my dad said there was an old Astro sitting a few rows down. He was very nice and signed a ball for me, afterwards I learned all about him and even did projects on him and his career for school.

I saw JR at his best. The guy was the best pitcher in baseball

dang!!! great vid - so inchresting!

Great video. Sucks that he's gone. Just got a '78 Topps so he'll hang on my wall.

R.I.P legend

Great Work. I started collecting Baseball Cards when I was 4 in 1980. As the son of a Rocket Scientist Physics Professor who worked for Martin Marietta, McDonnel Air, NASA & was a Physics Professor at OSU, LSU & UCF. I was a Math Prodigy thanks to POPs & a Stat monkey as Mom called Me. I loved tracking his stats from the Back of my 1981 Fleer & Topps called and then he Vanished & I had no internet to find JR until I saw a ESPN 3030 type Film about his tragic life to that point. Thank You for keeping JRs story alive. I can't wait to dive through your films. See You in the Comments,

Really sad, I remember as a very young kid watching my favorite team the Astros play in the 70’s and JR Richard was awesome, I did not know the whole story about why he suddenly stopped pitching for the Astros. I know he had a heart attack at the Astrodome and knew then also that would keep him from pitching for awhile but not all those details thankyou for posting

So you’re telling me the Astros have always been a classy organization. Sweet.

deGrom also has got his start for the Mets like the Ryan express, but we know what all these pitchers have in common or lack there of. We wish your deGrom all the best for a title someday , thank you so much for all work on your awesome content, from here in Houston.

in 1980 he was scary and unhittable. A monster on the mound.

Ohohoho, this is good Glad to be a part of this project!

Wow, just wow. I know him from Diamond Dynasty. Mets fan...wow, didn't know JR Richard (RIP) was that good.

*Brandon Webb* looked like he was going to be the GOAT after ‘06, ‘07 and ‘08. He would be in the HOF if it weren’t for injuries. Let’s all hope deGrom stays healthy!!

It was Dr. Jobe who diagnosed it as muscle fatigue. It was not a front office hack. Dr. Jobe was highly respected and is famous for his work with athletes. Second, White players were subject to the tough guy era as well. EVERYONE was expected to play while hurt back then. Football players back then played "while" concussed. Sports medicine is light years ahead today. HS players are given better medical attention today than pro athletes back then.

Don Wilson, JR Richard, and Nolan Ryan wouldn't been an outstanding 1-2-3 punch had fate not intervened

Your content is awsome.. new sub here buddy 👍

It’s finally here!! grab the pretzels!!!

Bro you deserve way more subs keep it up

The dude threw 76 Complete Games!!!! And I don’t need to elaborate on what all the 70’s Houston “fans” said about him in the 30+ games he started every season but you can imagine it would have gotten everyone cancelled if said today.

But how is he holding that many baseballs in one hand? 😦🤯

jr was magnificent. i especially miss him and stargell.

What a shame, man. What a beast.

I love how some people push the DeGrom stats. But when you compare his 198 games played vs guys who 700+? that is pushing the stats logic. I am a stats guy and I get the snap shot approach but you then need to take a snap shot of the 700+ guys for same duration, 9 out 10 time their stats will blow that guy with lessee stats out of the stadium

Great job on this video! You should have way more subs than this!

Astros did him DIRTY!

Honestly not familiar with his career or story this was super informative. Extremely messed up how this organization treated him. His numbers are so similar to Jake’s it’s crazy!

Racism in baseball and medicine literally ended this man’s HoF career and ruined his life, that’s infuriating

JR Richard is my favorite MLB the Show card ever

J.R. was my 1st childhood hero. Only Earl Campbell surpassed him. J.R. should have won the 1979 Cy Young Award. There was no pitcher better & more dominant from 1976 to 1980 than J.R... just ask the players.

Was also a real good hitter. Could have been a 30 hr player if dedicated for a non pitching position.

Just imagine if an fully healthy JR Richard started game Six of the 1986 NLCS

07:22 Sid Vicious sighting. And is that Joe Jackson too? Happy meal!

I met Jr, I shook his hand and he signed a baseball for me. I'm gonna take care of that baseball.

WOHHOOOO NEW VIDEO

So sad...

I don’t know when the MLBPA implemented their pension, but it’s cases like this that made it a necessity.

I like the old days when The National League and the American League only met during the all-star game and the World Series 😮

This is a great video. Wow

Bruh no way you can be 3%bf and have enough energy to throw a baseball more than a few times

DeGrom is hurt CONSTANTLY otherwise his numbers would not rival Clayton Kershaw's numbers.

I'm surprised his number isn't retired even though he's in the Astros Hall of Fame.

I thought you were gonna say Nolan was pitcher A,only because they were together whenJR was dominating.

I can't believe I didn't know more about this guy other than the fact that he was a really good pitcher who's career I thought had ended due to more normal injuries. As I sat watching this I was left so angry at how this man was treated that I was literally talking back to my phone lol. But seriously, the way this man got treated is absolute BULLSHIT. Imo the Astros should make this right by at least issuing a public apology to this man's family.

A Mets fan jinx lol

The Last of Us soundtrack!

The Astros messed up here.

Wonder why he never sought outside treatment especially when your career is on the line, you know there is something wrong with you, even though the club medical staff is saying 'nah'. That would have been sweet revenge to come back to the Astros rubbing those clot results in their faces.

Well your boy degrom is at dehome watching everybody else in deplayoffs.

Can't forget they were on baseball cards together 2...

JR Richards story is so sad. He would have been a sure HOF had they had treated him. His number should be still retired by the Astros.

Imagine if J.R. would've been around for the 1980 Postseason the Astros could've won the 1980 World Series and maybe the MLB would've never moved the Astros to the AL because they were seen as a poverty franchise in the early 2010's and everything that happened since 2017 would've probably never happened. 🤔

"You know he black it’s all in his head" 🤦🏾‍♂️🙃. That’s Messed up smh

"It was racist to speculate drug usage..." 5 mins later "although he was on cocaine at the time..."

The 1980 NLCS may have ended differently.

You know, career numbers and stats are great and all, but it all boils down to the rings. If you haven't won a ring, it doesn't mean squat.

Its so stupid when people claim that they have had sub 10% body fat , literally only bodybuilding pros walk around that lean no human other than body builders walk around that lean

Why not account for league hitters strikeout percentage as a whole when comparing pitchers from different eras? I mean, it's pretty obvious that it's easier to strike out hitters in the current era given hitters don't care if they strikeout.

Pitchers who’s careers ended too early or their dominance didn’t last as long: J.R Richard Dwight Gooden Brett Saberhagen Brandon Webb Dontrelle Willis Johan Santana Felix Hernandez

So Chris Sale is pretty awesome

I picked degrom cause walks and k

OMFG!!! SHAME ON ALL OF YOU IN THE ASTROS ORGANIZATION...you should all be ashamed, my goodness...horrible

Surprised he didn't sue the Astros

JR Richard gave you innings and wins; DeGrom gives you neither. He basically gives you about as many innings as a middle-inning reliever. On the rare occasions when he's healthy enough to start, he gives you five innings. The past three years he has averaged 74 innings, and even before his arm problems he was barely reaching 200 innings. Best pitcher of all time? Give me a break!

I honestly chose pitcher a because he walks less batters

These deGrom comparisons are kinda whack. I'm sure JR Richard and Ryan's numbers would have been significantly better if they set out every game knowing they were only going to pitch 6 innings.

First video of yours I watched. And I subscribed during. Great content‼️🫱🏾‍🫲🏽💪🏾

It's like you can't find a baseball channel on RU-vid that doesn't gargle the Mets over rated balls. This wasn't a Jr Richard video it was a Jacob degrom fan girl video

JR is and was always my top baseball hero. wtf with all the degrom junk, who cares

Mets fans shaking in their boots right now

He said when he was homeless, you are going to suffer with nothing to eat. You are going to live homeless, with hunger.

We not talking about drew Gilbert

I'd imagine it'd be hard to be an astros fan considering all the black marks in their history