Dave Boswell (baseball): Difference between revisions

|image name = Dave Boswell.jpg

| position = [[Pitcher]]

|bats throws = Right

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1945|1|20}}

| birth_place = [[Baltimore, Maryland]], U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|6|11|1945|1|20}}

'''David Wilson Boswell''' (January 20, 1945 – June 11, 2012) was an [[United StatesAmericans|American]] right-handed [[pitcher]] who spent eight seasons in [[Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] (MLB)]], all in the [[American League|American League]] (AL)]], with the [[Minnesota Twins]] (1964–19701964–1970), [[Detroit Tigers]], and [[Baltimore Orioles]] (both in 1971). He won twenty games as a [[starting pitcher|starter]] forduring the Twins in [[1969 Minnesota Twins season|1969 season]], the only time he achieved the feat during his major league career.

Boswell graduated from [[Calvert Hall College High School]] in 1963. He drew the interest of several major league teams. One was the hometown Orioles who had ranked him and [[Wally Bunker]] as the two best pitching prospects in the country. Not able to afford giving each of them huge [[signing bonus|bonus]]es, the ballclub only signed Bunker after being disappointed by Boswell's performance during his [[senior (education)|senior]] year. Boswell eventually signed with the Twins for US $15,000.<ref name="jkellytbs">[{{cite news |url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-06-13/news/bs-md-ob-dave-boswell-20120613_1_minnesota-twins-orioles-president-international-league-orioles |last=Kelly, |first=Jacques. "|title=Dave Boswell, major league pitcher" (obituary), ''|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun'', Wednesday, |date=June 13, 2012.]}}</ref> Even though the [[New York Yankees]] had offered the same amount of money, he decided that his chances to make the majors were better with Minnesota.<ref>[{{cite web |url=http://twinstrivia.com/interview-archives/dave-boswell-interview/ |title=Dave Boswell interview &ndash;|date=August 9, 2013 |publisher=Twins Trivia.]}}</ref>

After debuting with the Twins in 1965, Boswell pitched for the Twins in the team's [[1965 World Series|World Series]] loss to the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]. In 1966, Boswell's .706{{winpct|12|5}} winning percentage (based on a 12–5 record) led the American League. Following a 1969 game inagainst the [[Detroit Tigers|Detroit]], Boswell got into a fight with teammate [[Bob Allison]] and Manager [[Billy Martin]] outside the Lindell AC bar near [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Tiger Stadium]]. After knocking out Allison with one punch, MartinBoswell was in turn knocked out Boswellby givingMartin, himresulting in a cut that required 20 stitches.<ref name="startribune1">{{cite web |url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/158766855.html |title=Souhan: Boswell was a character as well as a competitor |publisher=StarTribune.com |date= |accessdate=2012-12-December 18, 2012}}</ref> Despite the off-field injury, Boswell would win 20 games in 1969, helping the Twins win the [[American League West]].

During the [[1969 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]], Boswell wouldlost lose 1-01–0 in 11 innings to [[Baltimore Orioles]] pitcher [[Dave McNally]]. He later revealed that he had suffered a career-ending arm injury during the game on a slider thrown to strike out slugger [[Frank Robinson]] in the bottom of the 10th. {{Quote|text="It felt like my shoulder went right into my jawbone," Boswell would tell the Fort Myers News-Press years later. "The arm would actually turn black and run all the way down to the elbow."}}<ref name="startribune1"/>

After being released by the Twins following the 1970 season, Boswell briefly played for the [[Detroit Tigers]] and the [[Baltimore Orioles]] during the 1971 season.

* {{Baseballstats |br=b/bosweda01 |fangraphs=1001222|cube=dave-boswell|brm=boswel001dav}}

* [http://www.cooloftheevening.com/dave_boswell.htm Dave Boswell biography]

[[Category:DeathsPeople from myocardialJoppatowne, infarctionMaryland]]