Eric Show
Eric Show | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: Riverside, California, U.S. | May 19, 1956|
Died: March 16, 1994 Dulzura, California, U.S. | (aged 37)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 2, 1981, for the San Diego Padres | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 30, 1991, for the Oakland Athletics | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 101–89 |
Earned run average | 3.66 |
Strikeouts | 971 |
Teams | |
Eric Vaughn Show (
Show's later life was affected by
Early life
Eric Show was born in Riverside, California, as the oldest of three children to Les and Yvonne Show. He was shepherded into playing baseball from a young age by his father, who would physically and verbally abuse his son if he did not perform well.[2] His father's persistence in forcing his son into a baseball career at all costs even extended to college, as he attempted to call signals for him to pitch before being stopped by the team catcher.[2] He attended the University of California, Riverside, where he majored in physics and played college baseball for the Highlanders from 1976 to 1978. In 1977, Show won a Division II College World Series with the team.[3][4][5]
Playing career
1981–1984
Show made his major league debut in late September 1981, and the following year went 10–6 while splitting time between the starting rotation and bullpen. He won fifteen games in 1983, and followed with a 15–9 record in 1984. However, he struggled in the postseason, going a combined 0–2 with a 12.38 earned run average in three games.
"The Hit"
On September 11, 1985, in a game against the
Before the game, when Show had been asked about the possibility of giving up "The Hit", he responded: "I guess it doesn't mean as much to me as it does to other baseball enthusiasts. I mean, in the eternal scope of things, how much does this matter? I don't like to say this, but I don't care. ... Don't get me wrong. I'm certainly not putting down Pete. It's a fantastic accomplishment."[7] "Gosh, he felt so bad after that, and he didn't know how to articulate it," said teammate Dave Dravecky. "Sometimes when you're brilliant like he was, the simplest of things are the hardest of things to express."[3] Show later offered, "We have a choice – to think or not to think – and I've come to the conclusion that most of these guys don't want to think about anything but baseball, and I'm kind of ostracized for that."[3]
Later career
On July 7, 1987, Show hit the year's eventual
Show made his last appearance on the National League leaderboard in 1988, a season in which he went 16–11 with 13 complete games and pitched 234+2⁄3 innings. In June 1989, Show underwent back surgery and then received cortisone injections for ongoing back discomfort. Show showed signs of drug addiction in his later career, and some of his teammates suspected that the issues had started as Show attempted to relieve his back pain.
By 1990, Show had lost his regular spot in San Diego's rotation. The Padres did not pick up his option and bought out his contract for $250,000.[9] Though Show had become known for his tardiness and confrontations with teammates and management in San Diego, the Oakland Athletics had taken risks on troubled players before. They signed Show as a free agent prior to the 1991 season.[10] Show also played in 1990–91 with the Mayaguez Indians of the Puerto Rican Winter League.
Show's episodes of erratic behavior began to involve law enforcement by 1991. He was arrested by the police in downtown San Diego while yelling that someone was trying to kill him. Placed inside a police car, he kicked out the window and fled on foot. He was apprehended later that day, and he admitted to having used crystal methamphetamine. Show showed up later that year at the Oakland A's training camp with bandaged hands; reports had been made of his acting oddly inside an adult bookstore, and Show tried to flee from police, cutting his hands on a barbed wire fence. Oakland released Show during spring training in 1992, and he never appeared in professional baseball again.[10]
Personal life
Within baseball, Show's intellectual interests set him apart. Flannery said that most baseball players were singularly focused on baseball, while Show enjoyed discussing subjects like politics and economics. The pitcher was also a
In 1984, Show revealed that he was a member of the
Show was married to Cara Mia Niederhouse, who he had met while playing in a summer college baseball league in Kansas. They had no children.[10]
Death
After his retirement from baseball, Show continued to struggle with drug abuse. After a month-long stay at a
See also
References
- ^ Wilson, Bernie (March 18, 1994). "Tormented isolation for Show after baseball". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. p. C1.
- ^ a b Friend, Tom (September 7, 2010). "The tortured life of Eric Show". Retrieved October 27, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Schrotenboer, Brent (May 18, 2008). "Mystery man". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012.
- ^ "University of California, Riverside Baseball Players Who Made it to the Major Leagues". Baseball-Almanac.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ "Eric Show". GoHighlanders.com. UC Riverside Sports Information. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ISBN 0-87795-984-6.
- ^ a b c d "Inside Pitch Statistics Through Sept. 15". CNN. September 23, 1985. Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- ^ Seven ejected in beanball exchange. The New York Times. July 8, 1987. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
- ^ Kernan, Kevin (October 12, 1990). "Clark insists he can play with Gwynn 'We're both pros,' says conciliatory 'bad guys'". The San Diego Union.
The Padres did not pick up the option on Show's contract, electing instead to buy out the contract of the club's all-time winningest pitcher for $250,000
- ^ a b c d e f g Berkow, Ira (March 27, 1994). "Eric Show's solitary life, and death". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2008.
- ^ Rules of abuse Archived March 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. The San Diego Union-Tribune. May 24, 2008.
Bibliography
- Dravecky, Dave; Yorkey, Mike (2004). Called Up: Stories of Life and Faith from the Great Game of Baseball. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. ISBN 0-310-25230-X.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
- Retrosheet
- An account of the game that featured a bench-clearing brawl after Show hit Dawson with a pitch
- "All's Right With His World", Sports Illustrated. August 6, 1984.
- Eric Show at Find a Grave