The Vault
Every SI Story ... Every SI Photo ... Ever SI.COM/VAULT
EXCERPT | March 2, 1981
The Long Road
Felled by a stroke, J.R. Richard tried to come back
On July 30, 1980, Astros All-Star pitcher J.R. Richard suffered a massive stroke. Seven months of intensive rehabilitation later the 6'8" righthander arrived at spring training in Cocoa, Fla., intent on returning to the major leagues. William Nack reported for SI.
When Richard arrived in Florida last week, there was little evidence that he had ever suffered a stroke. Not only had he regained feeling in his left side, but he also was speaking clearly and articulately and was moving about without so much as a limp. Only when he attempted to do exercises or movements on the mound—ones that especially required good reflexes and coordination—was there any clue that Richard wasn't entirely well.
The most troubling of Richard's problems has been his inability to make spatial perceptions. According to Dr. William Fields, his personal physician and the chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, the right side of Richard's brain, the side damaged by the stroke, governs his ability to perceive the location and speed of objects moving through space—including a baseball coming in his direction. Richard has had trouble picking up objects in the left half of his field of vision, the doctor says, and at times has had to catch a ball with both hands.
"If I pick up the ball right from the catcher's hand, I don't have any problems," Richard says. "But if I don't see it right away, it's hard to find. It's like trying to find a ghost."
Richard never fully recovered, nor did he make it back to the big leagues. Within a decade, a run of bad investments and two divorces had left him destitute. He turned to the church and is now a minister in Houston.
SI.COM | Breaking News | Real-time Scores | Analysis
NFL
College Basketball
NBA
NHL
Editor's Choice
MARKET WATCH
Ian Thomsen polls NBA execs about the future homes of the top free agents
League insiders believe that Dwyane Wade will stay in Miami, with one expert splitting his vote to give Chicago a 50% chance of luring Wade (3) back to his hometown and another predicting that he'll sign with New York. Though I've heard no groundswell forming around the possibility of a move to the Knicks, look at it this way: While LeBron James may have a hard time rationalizing a leap from a title contender in Cleveland to the bare roster of New York, Wade wouldn't be giving up as much by fleeing Miami.
Featured Stories
CRISS CROSS
By Chip Brown
Casey Puckett and Daron Rahlves lead Team USA in Olympic ski cross
SAVING GRACE
By Andy Staples
How Skip Holtz saved his first recruiting class at South Florida
BIG HURT RETIRES
By Tom Verducci
Frank Thomas leaves a legacy as the greatest White Sox player ever
Online Cover Gallery
Boys of Spring
1963
Sandy Koufax, the Dodgers' 27-year-old lefthanded ace, looked to come back from the injured index finger that cut short his season and cost his team the pennant.
1975
The Reds, seven months before their epic seven-game victory over the Red Sox in the World Series, led off SI's salute to spring. On the cover is relief pitcher Clay Carroll.
1994
Michael Jordan, after walking away from the world champion Chicago Bulls, joined the White Sox at spring training and tried to make the club as a rightfielder.
GALLERIES
LeBron James NBA All-Star
Hannah Kearney Olympic Gold
Jamie McMurray Daytona 500
PHOTO
Photograph by TONY TRIOLO
BIG TALENT From 1976 to '80, the 6'8" Richard was one of baseball's most overpowering starters, winning 84 games while leading the NL twice in strikeouts and once in ERA.
PHOTO
MARK KAUFFMAN
PHOTO
TONY TRIOLO
PHOTO
JOHN IACONO
PHOTO
BILL FRAKES (WADE)
PHOTO
RUSTY JARRETT/GETTY IMAGES FOR NASCAR (MCMURRAY)
PHOTO
AL TIELEMANS (KEARNEY)
PHOTO
GREG NELSON (JAMES)
PHOTO
KATSUMI KASAHARA/AP (PUCKETT AND RAHLVES)
PHOTO
EDMUND D. FOUNTAIN/ST. PETERSBURG TIMES/ZUMAPRESS.COM (HOLTZ)
PHOTO
V.J. LOVERO (THOMAS)
