On June 27, 1973, Twenty days after pitching his high school team, Houstonâs Westchester High School to a state championship, 18-year-old David Clyde, who had been drafted first overall in the 1973 amateur draft earlier in the month, makes his debut with the Texas Rangers. The largest crowd of the year pack Arlington Stadium, a sell out crowd of 35,698. The, $125,000 bonus baby didnât disappoint, he walks the first two Twins batters he faces, then gets Bobby Darwin, George Mitterwald and Joe Lis on swinging third strikes. Clyde goes five innings and gives up only one hit â a two-run home run by Mike Adams â walks seven and strikes out 8. He is the winner, 4 â 3.
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Clyde was a high school phenom. In his senior year, Clyde was 18 and 0 and gave up 3 earned runs all year in 148 innings and threw 5 no-hitters. He was dubbed the next Sandy Koufax. Clyde was the most sought-after player in the country and the Rangers drafted Clyde with the # 1 draft pick in the 73 draft. The owner of the Rangers, Bob Short, had a team with lousy attendance and the plan was to use Clyde for a few games and then send him to the minors to work on his arm strength for the rigors of MLB. He, made his debut just 20 days after his last High School game against the Twins. He had a rough start but settled down and won his first-ever MLB start in front of the 1st sell-out crowd in Rangers history. Short and the Rangers abandoned the plan to send Clyde down to the minor leagues seeing they had a drawing card to bring fans to the ballpark . Many disagreed with Short as Clyde had pitched a full HS season. . He finished the 73 season with a 4 and 6 record.
In 1974 there again was a dispute about what was best for Clyde to develop. The dispute caused the Rangers GM to resign as manager Billy Martin wanted Clyde on the team. Clyde finished with a 3 and 9 record.
In 1975 after one start Clyde injured his shoulder. This injury was the beginning of the end of his MLB career . He would have shoulder surgery and then spend 3 years in the minors and was traded by the Rangers to the Indians in 1978. He would go 8 and 11 for the Indians in 1978. In 1979 he would tear his rotator cuff and pitched his last MLB game on Aug 7, 1979
He tried to comeback with the Astros but never made it back to the MLB. Clydes career was ruined by the financial mess of Bob Short . The Rangers averaged 6000 fans a game when Clyde didnât pitch and Short was on the verge of bankruptcy so Clyde not only stayed but many games he was left in to please the fans according to Whitey Herzog .
Many felt if Clyde was handled correctly and developed slowly he would have had a good career . Clyde was never bitter about his handling. He overcame alcohol abuse and went to work for his father-in-law in the lumber business for 20 years.
Great article on David Clyde and where he is now.
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