Darrell Porter
Darrell Porter | |
---|---|
Catcher | |
Born: Joplin, Missouri, U.S. | January 17, 1952|
Died: August 5, 2002 Sugar Creek, Missouri, U.S. | (aged 50)|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 2, 1971, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 4, 1987, for the Texas Rangers | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .247 |
Home runs | 188 |
Runs batted in | 826 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Darrell Ray Porter (January 17, 1952 – August 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball catcher.[1] He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1971 to 1987 for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, and Texas Rangers.[1] The four-time All-Star was known for his excellent defensive skills and power hitting ability.[2] He struggled but was never able to overcome a substance abuse problem, yet went on to become the most valuable player of the 1982 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals.[2] Porter died from accidental drug toxicity in 2002 at the age of 50.[2]
Biography
Playing career
Born in
Porter replaced
Drug problems
Porter told the
During spring training in 1980, former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe paid a visit to the Kansas City clubhouse. He asked the players ten questions, the point of which being if a player answered three or more of the questions with an affirmation, the player might have a problem with drugs or alcohol. Porter affirmed all ten questions and checked himself into a rehabilitation center, admitting he had abused alcohol, cocaine, Quaaludes, and marijuana.[2]
Later career
After checking into the rehab center, Porter became a
Career statistics
In a 17-year major league career, Porter played in 1,782
Personal life
Porter was married twice. His first marriage, in 1972 to the former Teri Brown, ended in divorce in 1976. On November 29, 1980, Porter married Deanne Gaulter, who survived him in death. The couple had three children: Lindsey, Jeffrey, and Ryan.
In 1984, Porter wrote an autobiography titled Snap Me Perfect!, in which he detailed his life in baseball and his struggles with substance abuse.[2]
Later life and death
In 2000, Porter was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall Of Fame. He dabbled in both broadcasting and the antique business on and off during his post-baseball years.[citation needed]
On August 5, 2002, Porter left his home in Lee's Summit, Missouri, saying he was going to buy a newspaper and go to the park. That afternoon at 5:26 p.m. CDT, he was found dead outside his vehicle in Sugar Creek, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City.[2] An autopsy found he had died of "toxic effects of cocaine." The autopsy indicated that the level of cocaine in Porter's system—consistent with recreational use—induced a condition called excited delirium that caused his heart to stop.[14] Police theorized that Porter's car went off a road and got caught on a tree stump in La Benite Park in Sugar Creek. Police say Porter got out of the car, walked to the nearby Missouri River, and then walked back to his car. Authorities had initially speculated that he overheated while trying to push the car off the stump in high heat and humidity, but there was no evidence to indicate that he tried to move the car. The exact events surrounding his death are still unknown.[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Darrell Porter Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Darrell Porter Obituary at The New York Times". The New York Times. NYT. 7 August 2002. p. 23. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ "1970 Major League Baseball Draft". mlb.com. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ 1973 American League Rookie of the Year voting results at Baseball Reference
- ^ "Milwaukee team leads baseball trading day". Kingman Daily Miner. AP. 7 December 1976. p. 4. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ISSN 0005-609X
- ^ "Darrell Porter at The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers". The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ "1979 Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ Post-Season World Series MVP Awards & All-Star Game MVP Award Winners at Baseball Reference
- ^ Home runs by catchers at The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers
- ^ RBIs by catchers at The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers
- ^ May 14, 1977 Rangers-Royals box score at Retrosheet
- ^ September 26, 1983 Expos-Cardinals box score at Retrosheet
- ^ Doctor says Porter did not die of an overdose, ESPN.com, August 13, 2002
Bibliography
- Snap Me Perfect!: The Darrell Porter Story, T. Nelson, 1984. ISBN 0-8407-5367-5. (With William Deerfield.)
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Dallas News: "Darrell Porter's Sad Final Chapter"
- Autopsy: Porter had cocaine in system when he died
- Photo of Porter at Find a Grave