He’s best known as the 1967 American League Cy Young Award winner, a standout achievement in a solid 15-year baseball career that saw him rack up 157 wins. After hanging up his cleats, he took an interesting turn—literally—by pursuing a career in dentistry, where he applied the same dedication he once brought to the mound. Before all the accolades and fame, he was a student-athlete at Stanford University, honing both his academic and athletic skills. In 1965, he signed with the Boston Red Sox, launching what would become a memorable journey in professional baseball. Off the field, he shared his life with his wife Rosemary, and together they built a family, raising six children. His story is one of balance—success in sports, a smooth transition into a second career, and a strong family life that kept things grounded. He truly lived a full life, both before and after the spotlight.
He was really at the top of his game after the 1967 season, but then unfortunately, he had a skiing accident that ended up affecting his performance on the mound quite a bit. He never quite seemed to regain that same level of dominance afterward, and many people point to that incident as a turning point in his career. He had been so consistent before the accident, but things just weren’t the same once he returned. He worked hard to come back, of course—he wouldn’t be who he was if he didn’t—but the impact was undeniable. He still showed flashes of brilliance, sure, but he wasn’t quite the pitcher he used to be.