Sam McDowell

Sam McDowell was a hard-throwing left-handed pitcher who spent 15 major league seasons, 11 of them with Cleveland, and also pitched for the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. A six-time All-Star, he led the American League in ERA in 1965 with a 2.18 mark while striking out 325 batters, and he won 20 games in 1970. After years of struggling with alcohol he became sober, earned a degree in sports psychology and addictions, and worked as a counselor and recovery consultant for the Baseball Assistance Team. His career and recovery are often cited as an inspiration for the Sam Malone character on the sitcom Cheers. The Associated Press reported that he died at his home in The Villages, Florida, on October 5 at the age of 84; no cause of death was given.