North Shore pitching coach Dick Radatz dies after fall in home

March 17, 2005 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
North Shore Spirit News Release


Lynn, MA—Dick Radatz, one of the great relief pitchers in Red Sox history and the pitching coach for the North Shore Spirit, died suddenly Wednesday afternoon after a fall in his Easton home. He was 67 years old.

Dick's towering presence and 95-mile-per-hour fastball made him baseball's most dominant relief pitcher in the mid-1960s. It also earned him the unforgettable nickname "The Monster" in Red Sox lore. Although everyone called him "The Monster," he was more of a gentle giant.

Spirit Manager John Kennedy said, "He was a pleasure to be around because he always had everyone in stitches. He was a funny guy. There were so many times he would have everyone in the locker room until 2:00AM just telling baseball stories. He was a great story-teller." Spirit 1st baseman Vic Davilla agreed and commented, "Dick was full of knowledge, not to mention the funniest guy I have ever met. He was just a great guy to be around all of the time."

As a Spirit coach, Dick was at the core of the pitching success. He molded the pitching staff and helped lead the team to consecutive Championship series appearances in 2003 and 2004. Spirit pitcher John Kelly explained, "He was a lot of different things to a lot of people. He loved his pitchers and would have done anything for us. In return, we were willing to do anything for him. He was a legend on and off the field and will truly be missed."

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.

New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle once described Radatz as "the greatest I ever faced." Radatz struck out Mantle 54 times in 67 attempts.



Canadian American League Stories from March 17, 2005


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