RIP Nuke LaLuche

[prankster]

The inspiration for the Nuke LaLuche character in Bull Durham was a real guy....

From New Britski...

RIP, Nuke!

Steve Dalkowski, inspiration for 'Bull Durham,' dies at 80

The minor league pitcher whose career inspired the creation of Nuke LaLoosh in the movie “Bull Durham” has died

abcnews.go.com

 

[Watchdog]

He left high school as Ryne Duren achieved his greatest fame in his first two years with the Yankees and we all hoped he would be the next Duren. Great stories about Duren intimidating the Red Sox while warming up under the stands the first time he played them after joining the Yankees. Duren had two great years then I think he got hurt and was gone from the Yankees.

Dalkowski was a legend even though he never made the majors. No discipline on the mound or the bars and that was what ultimately did him in. The article talks about Ted Williams saying he never saw anyone throw faster and some estimated he threw well over 100 MPH. Hard to make it while striking out 13 per 9 and walking 12 per 9. Fun to imagine what he might have been.

 

[cohenzone]

He left high school as Ryne Duren achieved his greatest fame in his first two years with the Yankees and we all hoped he would be the next Duren. Great stories about Duren intimidating the Red Sox while warming up under the stands the first time he played them after joining the Yankees. Duren had two great years then I think he got hurt and was gone from the Yankees.

Dalkowski was a legend even though he never made the majors. No discipline on the mound or the bars and that was what ultimately did him in. The article talks about Ted Williams saying he never saw anyone throw faster and some estimated he threw well over 100 MPH. Hard to make it while striking out 13 per 9 and walking 12 per 9. Fun to imagine what he might have been.

Dalkowski was my era. I never saw him, but he was always in the hs sports pages in central CT because he threw so many no hitters. Once he got into the pros, more disciplined batters took pitches high school kids swung at. He was a legend even among major leaguers.

I saw Duren live once. He saved a one run game against Detroit. In his typical performance, he walked the bases loaded, but struck out the side, the last out on a swinging strike on a 3-2 pitch. He once came into a game and his first warm up pitch slipped out of his hand and went on top of the backstop. After that, he did it on purpose every time he came in to remind batters not to dig in. What made him doubly intimidating with his speed was the fact that he had terrible eyesight and wore very thick glasses. After he retired, it came out that he often pitched drunk. So batters were facing a blind drunk with a 100 mph fast ball.

 

[methodology]

Remembering Steve Dalkowski, Perhaps the Fastest Pitcher Ever

The hard-throwing, hard-drinking inspiration for Bull Durham’s Nuke LaLoosh died earlier this month.

blogs.fangraphs.com

Here's a great article

 

[JohnFSilver]

You guys know who his high school catcher was, don’t ya?

 

[mauconnfan]

You guys know who his high school catcher was, don’t ya?

John F Silver?

 

[HuskylnSC]

Dalkowski was my era. I never saw him, but he was always in the hs sports pages in central CT because he threw so many no hitters. Once he got into the pros, more disciplined batters took pitches high school kids swung at. He was a legend even among major leaguers.

I saw Duren live once. He saved a one run game against Detroit. In his typical performance, he walked the bases loaded, but struck out the side, the last out on a swinging strike on a 3-2 pitch. He once came into a game and his first warm up pitch slipped out of his hand and went on top of the backstop. After that, he did it on purpose every time he came in to remind batters not to dig in. What made him doubly intimidating with his speed was the fact that he had terrible eyesight and wore very thick glasses. After he retired, it came out that he often pitched drunk. So batters were facing a blind drunk with a 100 mph fast ball.

There is a Yogi story that Duren would indeed through some 'wild' pitches through the hitters box while warming up and as the batter stepped into the box Yogi would tell him something like, "He's not too bad today."

 

[LIUCHusky]

You guys know who his high school catcher was, don’t ya?

Andy Baylock

 

[VA Blue Dog]

I saw Ryne Duren pitch at Fenway with my dad. I think it was the late 50's. We were lucky to get seats right behind home plate. He comes in with the big coke bottle glasses and you can see him straining to see Yogi. His first warm up goes over the backstop, the next one is off the screen. He didn't find the plate during any warm up pitches. Then he cleans off his glasses, and starts squinting at Yogi. The first batter bails out but the pitch was a strike down the middle. If I remember correctly he walked two or three but struck out the side.

 

[JohnFSilver]

John F Silver?

Nope! Another famous New Britain catcher like myself -- Andy Baylock.