EASTON, Mass. -- Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Dick Radatz,
a feared reliever in the 1960s, died Wednesday when he fell down a
flight of stairs in his home, police said. He was 67.
Radatz, a 6-foot-5 right-hander nicknamed "The Monster," lost
his balance and suffered a severe head injury in the fall Wednesday
afternoon, police Chief Thomas Kominsky said.
"It is believed that as Radatz tumbled down the stairs, he
struck his head on the carpet-covered concrete floor," Kominsky
said in a statement. "Paramedics were unable to revive Radatz, due
to the severity of his injuries -- severe head trauma."
The cause of death is believed to be accidental, Kominsky said.
He said the offices of the state medical examiner and Bristol
County district attorney were investigating.
Radatz pitched seven seasons in the majors for Boston,
Cleveland, Detroit, the Chicago Cubs and Montreal. He went 52-43
with 122 saves and a 3.13 ERA.
His best years were in Boston, where he broke into the big
leagues in 1962. He was 49-34 with 104 saves, applied under modern
rules because saves weren't recorded as a statistic in those days,
in four-plus seasons with the Red Sox. He was an All-Star in 1963
and 1964.
Radatz regularly pitched multiple innings of relief, long before
pitchers evolved into one-inning specialists.
"He was a setup man, closer, finisher all in one," said Bill
Lee, a former Red Sox pitcher and good friend of Radatz. "He was
the best reliever of all time, for a short period of time."
Radatz, who was godfather to Lee's daughter, has a picture of
himself in his basement signed by Mickey Mantle. The Yankees legend
signed it "The greatest I ever faced," said Lee, noting that
Radatz struck out Mantle 44 times in 63 attempts.
Lee said he knew of no health problems with Radatz, but noted
that he had weighed as much as 400 pounds and was a heavy smoker.
Radatz holds the major league record for strikeouts in a season
by a relief pitcher, 181 in 1964.
Boston signed Radatz, a Detroit native who graduated from
Michigan State University, before the 1959 season as an amateur
free agent.
A Red Sox spokesman did not immediately return calls Wednesday
night.
Radatz in recent years provided baseball commentary during
frequent appearances on Boston sports talk radio and television
stations.
Radatz has a son and a daughter, Lee said. Dick Radatz Jr. is
co-founder and president of the Northwoods League in Minnesota.