Wilmington Morning News - August 1, 1980

Phils, Reds in thick of it – again

PHILADELPHIA - As the last two months of the baseball season roll around, both the  Phillies and Cincinnati Reds find themselves in similar positions of a year ago.

At the end of last July, the Phillies were 4½ games behind the pace-setting Montreal Expos. Cincinnati was in second place, 3½ games off the Houston Astros' Western Division lead. This time around, the Phils are three games out of first, the Reds four. The two teams start a three-game weekend series at 8:05 tonight at Veterans Stadium.

"Considering the injuries we've had and the inconsistency of our pitching, I feel fortunate that we're still within striking distance of the leaders," said Reds manager John McNamara.

Part of the pitching problems came from shoulder injuries to Tom Seaver and Bill Bonham, a pair of veterans. Bonham was out from May 3 until a week ago. Seaver, who's been on the disabled list since July 1, is tentatively listed to pitch Monday night in Cincinnati.

"We won't see Houston until next month," noted McNamara. "Then, we play them five times. We've got 12 games left with LA. So, we're in a position where we can help ourselves."

PHIL-INS – Cincinnati leads series with Phils 6-3, although Philly has 2-1 edge at Vet... Mike Schmidt, who pulled his right groin in Wednesday night's victory over Houston, is questionable for tonight... Bake McBride has 31 hits in his last 20 games for a .388 average... Rookie Ron Oester has started last five games for Reds for slumping Junior Kennedy. He's collected 10 hits for a .555 mark... Johnny Bench trails Dave Parker of Pirates for most homers at Vet among visitors, 16-15.

Stroke hinted in J.R.’s collapse

HOUSTON (AP) – Houston Astros fastball specialist J.R. Richard was in stable condition yesterday after emergency surgery to remove a blood clot surgeons said threatened his life.

Team spokesman Rick Rivers, in a statement from doctors at Methodist Hospital who performed the two-hour operation Wednesday night, said that while surgery on the right-hander was successful, "there is an obvious weakness in his left arm and left leg."

"There were apparent signs and neurological symptoms, indicating impairment of circulation to the brain which would be suggestive of a stroke," the statement said.

Richard, the National League's ERA leader last season at 2.71, had compiled a 1.89 average before complaints of a "dead arm" led Astros officials July 16 to place him on the team's 21-day disabled list.

The major league's strikeout king pitched the first two innings in All-Star game July 8 in Los Angeles. He left the mound early in 10 of his last 17 starts, prompting criticism from teammates and fans.

Hospital tests last week detected an arterial circulation impairment in the right shoulder area, but doctors had said surgery would not be necessary.

The 30-year-old pitcher collapsed Wednesday morning during a workout at the Astrodome. Further tests detected a blood clot in the neck, and surgery was performed about 12 hours after an ambulance rushed him back to Methodist.

Tests performed after Richard re-entered the hospital showed blockage in one of the arteries leading to the brain, indicating a stroke possibly had occurred, Rivers said.

Drs. Charles McCollum III and George Noon determined after their examination that immediate surgery was required to restore "good circulation to the arm, neck and brain," Rivers said.

Doctors said the subclavian artery, located under the right collar bone, was the affected blood vessel.

After discovering the weaknesses yesterday in Richard's limbs, doctors said they hoped "the weakness may be transient in nature due to the edema and swelling and that it may clear up in a matter of several days," he said.

However, doctors cautioned "that it must be recognized that there is a possibility that there may be residual weakness involving the left arm and the left leg," Rivers said.

Physicians would not predict whether the weakness would be permanent.

No prognosis has been made on whether Richard will be able to resume his pitching duties with the National League team this season.

"Our main concern is for his health, more than his pitching future," Rivers said.