A lot is made of Barker’s personality in this one. He was a young stud with great potential that never really lived up to the hype. Of course, Barker had his share of problems – alcohol and cocaine not the least of them. Too much fame, too much money at a young age. He even admitted in interviews that he partied 4 or 5 nights a week – even nights before he pitched.
The game was against the still putrid Blue Jays. And while some of the names ring a bell and you think they may have been okay – they were all young at the time (George Bell, Alfredo Griffin) and the one veteran John Mayberry was old and at the end of his career. The Jays were so bad Danny Ainge was their third baseman. Barker started slowly – at least in terms of K’s. He had zero through the first three innings, even though he would finish with 11.
It was a cold damp night at the old Cleveland stadium. Of course this stadium will always be remembered for Oil Can saying after a Sox game was called of because of too much fog “That’s what happens when you build a ballpark on the ocean.” But Barker did credit the cold weather as a big factor.
Really not much else to report. A whole lot more on the union and the strike of 1981. And Barker’s career never really blossomed.
A lot is made of Barker’s personality in this one. He was a young stud with great potential that never really lived up to the hype. Of course, Barker had his share of problems – alcohol and cocaine not the least of them. Too much fame, too much money at a young age. He even admitted in interviews that he partied 4 or 5 nights a week – even nights before he pitched.
ReplyDeleteThe game was against the still putrid Blue Jays. And while some of the names ring a bell and you think they may have been okay – they were all young at the time (George Bell, Alfredo Griffin) and the one veteran John Mayberry was old and at the end of his career. The Jays were so bad Danny Ainge was their third baseman. Barker started slowly – at least in terms of K’s. He had zero through the first three innings, even though he would finish with 11.
It was a cold damp night at the old Cleveland stadium. Of course this stadium will always be remembered for Oil Can saying after a Sox game was called of because of too much fog “That’s what happens when you build a ballpark on the ocean.” But Barker did credit the cold weather as a big factor.
Really not much else to report. A whole lot more on the union and the strike of 1981. And Barker’s career never really blossomed.