The Saga of Sudden Sam

McDowell, former All-Star pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, holds nothing back in this searing take on his career and his long battle with alcoholism. The emotional toll is front and center from the beginning, when McDowell recounts his unsuccessful attempt in 1963 to kill himself after his wife moved out. The pitcher then retraces how he sunk to that level of despair. Unsurprisingly, his mental turmoil sprang forth from his “joyless” childhood growing up in Pittsburgh in the 1940s with parents who “refused to praise” him. The scars of that upbringing stuck with him through adulthood, prompting him to drown his demons with alcohol, even as he achieved professional success in the years following his suicide attempt (which, for a long time, he told no one about). It wasn’t until the 1980s that McDowell got a handle on his illness after going to rehab and finding sobriety. In a moving reflection on that time, he points out, “Addiction is never obvious to the addicted.” Hoping to help other major leaguers hindered by the same disease, he became a professional counselor. “All I needed,” he writes, “was a chance.” This raw account is a worthy addition to the addiction memoir canon.

* Publishers Weekly *

In this first book, former pro baseball pitcher McDowell tells his rise and fall, both on and off the mound. A six-time American League All Star for the hapless 1960s Cleveland Indians, McDowell was known for his 100-mph fastball. Off the pitch, McDowell writes, he was struggling with alcohol addiction, and his personal and professional life spiraled out of control until episodic behavioral rages cut short his promising career. However, McDowell’s story does not end there, and he describes eventually finding his way to rehab and sobriety. Afterward, in an attempt to better understand his past behavior, McDowell studied psychology. He would eventually, in the 1980s, become one of the first sports psychologists, giving his career in professional athletics had a second life. McDowell’s book is a memoir as well as a cautionary tale of addiction and its effects, particularly in Major League Baseball. McDowell also warns that an individual might not be able to handle their emotional scars without professional help. A personal account that is especially recommended for readers who want to understand the consequences of addiction and how to overcome it. McDowell’s story will find an audience beyond baseball fans.

* Library Journal *

The Saga of Sudden Sam is an affecting story of hope.

* Akron Beacon Journal *

What makes the book stand out is McDowell’s ability to use what he has learned as an addiction expert to reflect and explain who he was as a younger man. It can be a bit jarring to read just how honestly and clinically McDowell writes about his past failings and feelings (or lack thereof).... The book is a fascinating insight into baseball during the 60s and 70s, the job of pitching in the major leagues, and the perils of alcoholism and addiction in a sporting environment.

* Sports Book Reviews *

I've known Sam since 1962 when I was a 17 year old assistant clubhouse manager for the Angels. Of all the players I've known throughout the years I've respected Sam the most. He has been a very close friend, mentor and literally saved my life. To know him and see him turn his life around and save so many hundreds of players’ lives is truly a miracle.

-- Bob Case, business manager for Casey Stengel and Mickey Rooney

Sam McDowell has performed miracles with B.A.T. since 1987. He’s played an integral part in saving lives and keeping families together. His Hall of Fame work off the field has impacted not only our applicants but the B.A.T. board, staff, consultants and everyone in baseball!

-- Erik Nilsen, executive director, Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.)

In his heyday, circa 1964-1970, Sam McDowell, a 6-5 lefty with a blazing 97 mph fastball, was the most feared pitcher in baseball. He was also an often out-of-control drunk. In his recently released autobiography with Martin Gitlin, McDowell tells a painfully compelling story of how he essentially drank his way out of baseball, never fully realizing his vast potential, only to find redemption after getting sober and becoming an addiction counselor for dozens of professional baseball players, saving lives along the way.

* Bill Madd