Dave Dravecky

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox baseball biography David Francis Dravecky (born February 14, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player, motivational speaker, and author. A left-handed pitcher, Dravecky played Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres (1982–87) and the San Francisco Giants (1987–89). He was named an All-Star in 1983 and played with the Padres in the 1984 World Series.

In September 1988, Dravecky was diagnosed with a desmoid tumor in his left arm. He underwent surgery the following month. Dravecky returned to pitch for the Giants in August 1989 and won his first major league start of the season. In his second start, he broke his arm throwing a pitch. He retired from baseball after the season and, following a cancer recurrence, had his left arm amputated in 1991.

Following his baseball career, Dravecky became a motivational speaker and author. He has written three books.

Early life

Dravecky was born on February 14, 1956, in Youngstown, Ohio.<ref name= Ref /> He has three brothers and a sister.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dravecky graduated from Boardman High School in Youngstown<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and from Youngstown State University,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> where he played baseball and basketball.<ref name="auto1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional baseball career

The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Dravecky in the 21st round of the 1978 Major League Baseball draft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Pirates traded him to the San Diego Padres on April 5, 1981 for Bobby Mitchell.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

San Diego Padres (1982–1987)

Dravecky made his major league debut on June 15, 1982, for the Padres.<ref name="auto2">Template:Cite web</ref> Pitching as a starter and as a reliever, he amassed a 5–3 record and a 2.57 earned run average (ERA).<ref name= Ref />

Dravecky represented the Padres at the 1983 All-Star Game, pitching two scoreless innings and striking out George Brett.<ref name="auto2"/> He started 28 games in 1983, finishing the season with a 14–10 record and 3.58 ERA.<ref name= Ref />

Dravecky became friends with two other Padres pitchers, Eric Show and Mark Thurmond. Dravecky, Show, and Thurmond all held strong Christian beliefs. In the spring of 1984, Show recruited Dravecky and Thurmond to the John Birch Society, a far-right US political organization. The three players were the subjects of wide reporting after they distributed Birch literature from a booth at the June 1984 Del Mar Fair.<ref name=ESPN>"The tortured life of Eric Show", September 11, 2010, by Tom Friend, ESPN. Retrieved May 23, 2013.</ref><ref name=SI>"All's Right With His World", by Franz Lidz, Sports Illustrated, August 6, 1984. Retrieved May 23, 2013.</ref><ref name=PittsburghPress>"Making a pitch for the Birchers", Dan Donovan, The Pittsburgh Press, July 9, 1984. Retrieved from Google News May 23, 2013.</ref> Dravecky stated he saw Birch beliefs as the "natural outgrowth" of a born-again Christian philosophy.<ref name=AP1984>"Dravecky Joins 'Birch Society'", Associated Press, Youngstown Vindicator, July 10, 1984. Retrieved from Google News May 23, 2013.</ref> In 1987, the Associated Press wrote that Dravecky was better known for his association with the John Birch Society than he was for his pitching.<ref name="AP1987">"Giants sending Dravecky to the mound in Series bid", Associated Press, Eugene Register-Guard, October 13, 1987. Also published as "Dravecky Has Made Impact", Associated Press, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, October 13, 1987. Both retrieved from Google News May 23, 2013.</ref>

In 1984, the Padres won their first National League pennant. The Padres won a come-from-behind victory over the Chicago Cubs in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, with Dravecky and three other relievers shutting out the Cubs over a combined Template:Fraction innings.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Used as a starter and as a reliever, Dravecky finished the regular season with a 9–8 record, an earned run average of 2.93, and eight saves. In the 1984 postseason, Dravecky appeared out of the bullpen in five games without allowing a run.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> The Padres lost the World Series to the Detroit Tigers, four games to one.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Dravecky won 22 games for the Padres over the 1985 and 1986 seasons.<ref name= Ref />

San Francisco Giants (1987–1989)

On July 4, 1987, the San Francisco Giants acquired Dravecky, pitcher Craig Lefferts, and third baseman Kevin Mitchell from the Padres for pitchers Keith Comstock, Mark Davis, and Mark Grant and third baseman Chris Brown for their pennant drive. Dravecky went 7–5 with three shutouts following the trade, helping the Giants to win the NL West. In the 1987 National League Championship Series, Dravecky pitched a shutout in Game Two against the St. Louis Cardinals and lost Game Six by a score of 1–0.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":0" /> The Cardinals won the series in seven games.

While with the Giants, Dravecky and teammates Scott Garrelts, Atlee Hammaker, and Jeff Brantley became known as the "God Squad" because of their strong Christian faith. Foregoing the hard-partying lifestyle of some of their teammates, they preferred to hold Bible studies in their hotel rooms while on the road.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Dravecky was the Giants' opening day starter in 1988, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5–1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Shortly thereafter, he noticed stiffness in his pitching arm and was placed on the disabled list.<ref name="auto2"/>

Cancer, comeback, and retirement

File:President George H. W. Bush meets with Dave Dravecky.jpg

Dravecky with President George H. W. Bush in 1990

In September 1988, Dravecky was diagnosed with a desmoid tumor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in his left (pitching) arm.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On October 7, he underwent a surgical procedure in which half of the deltoid muscle in his left arm was removed and his humerus bone was frozen in an effort to eliminate all of the cancerous cells.<ref name="nytimes9aug1989">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="nytimes17Aug1989">Template:Cite news</ref>

Doctors advised Dravecky to wait until 1990 to pitch again, but Dravecky was determined to pitch in 1989.<ref name="nytimes9aug1989"/><ref name="nytimes17Aug1989"/> By July 1989, he was pitching in the minors, and on August 10, he made a highly publicized return to the major leagues, pitching eight innings and defeating the Cincinnati Reds 4–3.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="nytimes19June1991">Template:Cite news</ref> In his following start, on August 15, 1989,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dravecky faced the Montreal Expos. In the fifth inning, he felt a tingling sensation in his arm. In the sixth inning, when he threw a pitch to Tim Raines, his humerus bone snapped. The sound of his arm breaking could be heard throughout Olympic Stadium. Dravecky collapsed on the mound; he had suffered a clean break midway between his shoulder and elbow, ending his season.<ref name="nytimes17Aug1989"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dravecky was credited with the win in the Giants' 3–2 victory.<ref name="nytimes17Aug1989"/>

The Giants won the National League pennant in 1989, defeating the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS in five games. On October 9, 1989,<ref name="auto">Template:Cite news</ref> Dravecky's left arm was broken a second time when he was running out to the mound to celebrate the Giants' 3–2 victory in Game 5.<ref name="nytimes10Oct1989">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Giants went on to lose the World Series to the Oakland Athletics, four games to none.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After a doctor found a lump in Dravecky's left arm, he opted to retire from baseball on November 13, 1989 to avoid risking further injury.<ref name="auto"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Dravecky ended his career with a 64–57 record with 558 strikeouts and a 3.13 earned run average in Template:Frac innings.<ref name= Ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He won the 1989 Willie Mac Award honoring his spirit and leadership<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the 1989 Hutch Award.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Life and career after baseball

Dravecky underwent arm surgeries in January and May 1990, after which his cancer was found to have returned.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On June 18, 1991, less than two years after his comeback with the Giants, Dravecky's left arm and shoulder were amputated.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After recovering from the surgery, Dravecky began a new career as a motivational speaker.<ref name="auto2"/>

Dravecky wrote two books about his battles with cancer and his comeback attempt: Comeback (1990), written with Tim Stafford,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and When You Can't Come Back (1992), co-authored with his wife Janice and Ken Gire. Comeback was republished as a self-titled autobiography for children in 1992. Dravecky has also written a Christian motivational book, Called Up, published in 2004 by Zondervan.<ref name="auto2"/>

Dravecky and his wife, Janice, have two children.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dravecky is a Christian.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2021, indie-folk artist Cousin Wolf released a song entitled "Dave Dravecky" as part of an album called "Nine Innings."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Official website

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• Endurance.org (personal website)