Rick Mahler Dead

[THERECORDKEEPER2]

Died of Heart attack.

 

[wilheim]

VIERA, Fla. - Rick Mahler, who won nearly 100 games during a 13-year career spent mostly with the Atlanta Braves, died Wednesday. He was 51.

Mahler died of a heart attack in Jupiter, Fla., while preparing for his second season as a minor league pitching coach for the New York Mets, the team said. He was set to join the Mets’ Class A team in Port St. Lucie.
Mets pitcher Tom Glavine telephoned the Braves to inform them of his former teammate’s death shortly before Atlanta played Georgia Tech in its first exhibition game of the spring.

“I didn’t know he had any type of problem,” Braves manager Bobby Cox said. “Maybe he didn’t, either. It’s awful.”

Mahler pitched in the majors from 1979-91, going 96-111 with a 3.99 ERA. His best season came in 1985, when he went 17-15 for the Braves. The next year, he led the majors with 18 losses.

The right-hander started on opening day for the Braves five times in the 1980s, including the first game of the ’82 season, when Atlanta went on to win the NL West title. Mahler made four straight opening-day starts beginning in 1985.

Cox was manager of the Braves through the 1981 season and returned to the team as general manager in 1986, reuniting him with Mahler during a dismal time in the team’s history.

“Rick was a great competitor,” Cox said. “He could pitch.”

Mahler pitched twice in the playoffs — with the Braves in 1982 and in 1990 with the Cincinnati team that went on to win the World Series.

Associated Press

 

[FatTony]

Wasn't he the Atlanta pitcher who hit the HR on the 4th of July 1984, in the ninth, against the Mets, to keep the game going?

Game ended at 4am after about 19 innings. Then they set off the fireworks. arty:

 

[stomie]

 

[VaultedTreehouse]

LOL, doesn't sound the same either.

 

[wilheim]

Not sure about the 4th of July game but on opening day 1987 Rick tied the National League record with his 3rd Opening Day shutout, a 6–0 three-hitter over the Phillies. Not a bad opening day pitcher.



wil.

 

[Rainbow]

Wasn't he the Atlanta pitcher who hit the HR on the 4th of July 1984, in the ninth, against the Mets, to keep the game going?

Game ended at 4am after about 19 innings. Then they set off the fireworks. arty:

Tony, I remember the game I was drunk as a skunk. it was probably the worst hitting pitcher ever. it was Rick Camp.

 

[wilheim]

Rainbow you are right on July 4, 1985: In a marathon game that borders on the surreal, the Mets endure two rain delays and 6:10 of playing time to beat the Braves 16–13 in 19 innings on Fireworks Night in Atlanta. The Mets had taken a 10–8 lead in the top of the 13th inning, only to watch the Braves tie it up. The Mets score again in the 18th, but relief hurler Rick Camp (a .060 hitter who was batting because Atlanta had no more position players available to pinch-hit) ties the score with his first ML home run on a 2-out 2-strike pitch in the bottom of the inning. No pitcher ever homered that late in a game before. Finally the Mets erupt for five runs in the 19th off Camp and Atlanta can respond only with 2. Keith Hernandez hits for the cycle for the Mets, and the game ends at 3:55 A.M. on July 5th, the latest finish in ML history. At 4:01 A.M. the post-game fireworks display begins, causing local residents to think the city is under attack.


wil.

 

[SSI]

your right it was rick camp, remember it well.. darndest game ive seen... sorry to hear about rick mahler, i suffered with him for years (watching him pitch).. rick and neikro were the studs of the staff, if you can call them that.. a couple of good years then but boy there was some lean ones as well,,, mahler was grizzly looking, he didnt seem to have much but competed...