Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jun 17, 2020 4:01:11 GMT
I mentioned him in passing and read the he died of the COVID in April.
By common belief, Dalkowski (the inspiration for Nuke LaLoosh in Bull Durham), threw the fastest fastball ever. The one time he was clocked, it was a paltry 93 mph, but the reading was taken when the ball crossed the plate. All reading are taken 10 feet from release point. This might have cost Dalkowski 7-12 mph. Ted Williams said that Dalkowski's fastball was the only one he couldn't see (of course, Ted never faced Aroldis Chapman). He never made the majors because he was an alcoholic. When he died, he was in a nursing home with alcohol induced dementia. Had he been around now, there would have been help available. Also, he had a double digit IQ, which could have been dealt with better now than in the late 50's. If his control could have been helped was another matter. in 9 years of professional ball, he walked 1236 and struck out 1324. In the California League in 1960, he walked 262 and struck out 262. I know both Sandy Koufax and Nolan Ryan became the pitchers they became when coached to take a little off their fastball.
