ADVERTISEMENT

RIP JR Richard

Oldmanastro

Well-Known Member
Jun 18, 2015
3,913
3,916
113
For those who are longtime Astros fans, know JR Richards was a BAAAAADMAN. Unfortunately his career was cut short due to a stroke (yes, probably was due to the white powder) he suffered while playing catch in the Astrodome. RIP JR.

 
  • Sad
Reactions: freeper
filthy....When Nolan Ryan signed with the Astros he came in as the #3 pitcher!!! JR was 1st, Niekro was #2 and Ryan 3rd.....It was cruel indeed.....If you came in for a 3 day series and got to face JR with that 100mph stuff....next up a knuckle baller....next was Ryan with 100 MPH stuff!....Lots of guys just took a few days off. That heater wasnt JR's best pitch though....He had a slider that dropped like it fell off a table.....and he threw it at 95 MPH! Not before or since has anyone seen anything like it.

The catcher said his fastball was "heavier" than Ryans even though they came in about the same speed. He was something like 6'7" and it looked like he released the ball right in front of you.
 
I remember watching JR in a '79 game against the Dodgers. It was the bottom of the 9th and the bases were empty. JR gets on base with a single. The next batter hits a double and JR comes full speed ahead towards home I'm telling you he looked like 6'8" 250 lb Earl Campbell. The ball bounces a few feet from home, and JR was a few yards away but the catcher was nowhere near the ball. Steve Yaeger was no dummy.
 
his last season...1980 I think, he kept taking himself out of games saying he didnt feel right. The team doc's couldnt/wouldnt find anything wrong. He had his best stuff that year and would go a few innings giving up next to nothing. He made the all star game, and in fact started it. He faced 6 batters and struck out most of em.

In those days the Astros were cursed. Anytime they had a super star he either got cancer, was injured to the point he could never play again or, in Don Wilson's case either committed suicide or died in a terrible accident.
Walt Bond, Jim Umbrister,Dickey Thon, Roger Metzger....hell, even Cedeno(self inflicted on his part....but never the same) an JR....who would have surely been in the HOF according to the experts at that time.
 
his last season...1980 I think, he kept taking himself out of games saying he didnt feel right. The team doc's couldnt/wouldnt find anything wrong. He had his best stuff that year and would go a few innings giving up next to nothing. He made the all star game, and in fact started it. He faced 6 batters and struck out most of em.

In those days the Astros were cursed. Anytime they had a super star he either got cancer, was injured to the point he could never play again or, in Don Wilson's case either committed suicide or died in a terrible accident.
Walt Bond, Jim Umbrister,Dickey Thon, Roger Metzger....hell, even Cedeno(self inflicted on his part....but never the same) an JR....who would have surely been in the HOF according to the experts at that time.
Dickie Thon was going to be good, both in the field and at the plate.
 
JR.jpg
I remember shaking his hand at a nightclub in Clear Lake one night. He had HUGE hands!
RIP JR 🙁
 
Last edited:
As a young pitcher, I tried to emulate his high knee motion in the wind up although I was a left handed pitcher. I thought he was a cool dude.
 
For those who are longtime Astros fans, know JR Richards was a BAAAAADMAN. Unfortunately his career was cut short due to a stroke (yes, probably was due to the white powder) he suffered while playing catch in the Astrodome. RIP JR.

R.I.P🤘🙏🏾🤘🏾
 
ADVERTISEMENT