J. R. Richard, baseball player, 1971-1980

J. R. Richard

Born: 3/7/1950 in Vienna, LA, USA

Died: 8/4/2021 in Houston, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1971-09-05 | Final Game: 1980-07-14

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'8" | Weight: 222 lbs

Full name: James Rodney Richard

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Biography

J. R. Richard was a dominant pitcher in Major League Baseball during the late 1970s, known for his imposing presence on the mound and exceptional strikeout ability. Born in 1950, Richard made his debut with the Houston Astros in 1971 and played until his career was tragically interrupted in 1980. Over the course of his nine-season career, he compiled a solid record of 107 wins and 71 losses, complemented by a career earned run average (ERA) of 3.15. His striking prowess was evident in his impressive total of 1,493 strikeouts, which showcased his ability to overpower hitters with a combination of speed and finesse. Richard was selected as an All-Star once during his career, a testament to his skill and the respect he garnered from his peers. He was a key figure in the Astros' pitching rotation, contributing significantly to the team's success in the National League. His playing style was characterized by a high strikeout rate and a fierce competitive spirit, which resonated during an era that saw the emergence of power pitchers. Despite his untimely retirement in 1980, J. R. Richard remains a significant figure in baseball history, both for his on-field accomplishments and for the challenges he faced later in life.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
107 71 238 221 76 19 0 1606.0 1227 562 73 770 1493 3.15 0

Career ERA 3.15 vs. league average 3.69 across their career seasons — 14.7% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1971 HOU NL 2 1 4 4 1 0 0 21.0 17 8 16 29 3.43 3.47 (+1%) 461.2
1972 HOU NL 1 0 4 1 0 0 0 6.0 10 9 8 8 13.50 — 0.0
1973 HOU NL 6 2 16 10 2 1 0 72.0 54 32 38 75 4.00 3.75 (-7%) 2333.7
1974 HOU NL 2 3 15 9 0 0 0 64.7 58 30 36 42 4.18 3.63 (-15%) 46.7
1975 HOU NL 12 10 33 31 7 1 0 203.0 178 99 138 176 4.39 3.71 (-18%) 1304.6
1976 HOU NL 20 15 39 39 14 3 0 291.0 221 89 151 214 2.75 3.51 (+22%) 994.7
1977 HOU NL 18 12 36 36 13 3 0 267.0 212 88 104 214 2.97 4.00 (+26%) 5763.8
1978 HOU NL 18 11 36 36 16 3 0 275.3 192 95 141 303 3.11 3.69 (+16%) 8570.8
1979 HOU NL 18 13 38 38 19 4 0 292.3 220 88 98 313 2.71 4.00 (+32%) 13920.3
1980 HOU NL 10 4 17 17 4 4 0 113.7 65 24 40 119 1.90 3.84 (+51%) 5522.1

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
239 552 39 93 10 3 10 50 2 4 181 0.168 0.176 0.252 0.428 -3031.8

Career AVG .168 vs. league average .257 across their career seasons — 34.6% below league average.

Career OBP .176 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 45.5% below league average.

Career SLG .252 vs. league average .377 across their career seasons — 33.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.428 vs. league average 0.701 across their career seasons — 38.9% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1971 HOU NL 4 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1972 HOU NL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1973 HOU NL 16 28 2 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 12 0.179 — — — — 0.0
1974 HOU NL 15 21 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 9 0.143 — — — — 0.0
1975 HOU NL 33 74 4 15 6 0 1 13 0 1 29 0.203 .257 (-21%) .327 (-35%) .374 (-13%) .701 (-23%) -315.9
1976 HOU NL 39 100 6 14 1 0 2 9 0 0 33 0.140 .255 (-45%) .320 (-55%) .360 (-42%) .681 (-48%) -813.3
1977 HOU NL 36 87 10 20 0 2 2 7 1 1 28 0.230 .264 (-13%) .329 (-25%) .401 (-14%) .730 (-19%) -301.6
1978 HOU NL 37 101 8 18 0 0 1 10 1 1 27 0.178 .257 (-31%) .323 (-42%) .378 (-45%) .702 (-44%) -734.7
1979 HOU NL 38 95 6 12 1 1 2 6 0 1 24 0.126 .265 (-52%) .329 (-59%) .397 (-44%) .727 (-51%) -866.4
1980 HOU NL 17 39 2 6 2 0 1 3 0 0 15 0.154 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 238 221 113 195 20 6

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1971 HOU P 4 4 1 3 0 0
1972 HOU P 4 1 0 2 0 1
1973 HOU P 16 10 5 3 1 0
1974 HOU P 15 9 5 5 0 0
1975 HOU P 33 31 8 19 1 0
1976 HOU P 39 39 19 39 10 2
1977 HOU P 36 36 26 44 0 2
1978 HOU P 36 36 29 38 3 0
1979 HOU P 38 38 14 32 5 0
1980 HOU P 17 17 6 10 0 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 238

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1980 Pitcher of the Month April
1979 Pitcher of the Month September
1978 Pitcher of the Month July
1978 Player of the Week Week of 1978-05-19

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1979 Cy Young Award NL 3rd 41.0 120 4
1979 Most Valuable Player NL 19th 12.0 336 0
1978 Cy Young Award NL 4th 13.0 120 1
1976 Cy Young Award NL 7th 2.0 120 0
1976 Most Valuable Player NL 17th 12.0 336 0