Former Dodger Pitcher Dies in Auto Crash

LA Times reporting:

Steve Howe, a former Dodger relief pitcher whose cocaine and alcohol abuse overshadowed and ultimately tarnished his major league baseball career, was killed early Friday morning when he rolled his pickup truck in an unincorporated area of Riverside County east of Palm Springs. He was 48.

Some of his accomplishments:

• National League rookie of the year with the Dodgers in 1980
• Howe helped the team win the World Series in 1981
• was an All-Star in 1982 and
  
• later pitched for three other major league clubs, including the New York Yankees.

A two-time All-Big Ten selection at the University of Michigan, Howe was 47-41 with 91 saves and a 3.03 earned-run average in 12 major league seasons.

the hard-throwing left-hander probably is best remembered for his drug and alcohol abuse, Howe's frequent missteps playing a large part in him falling short of his vast potential and making him a reviled figure among unsympathetic fans. He was suspended seven times for violating baseball's substance-abuse regulations.

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia, a former teammate on the Dodgers, remembered Howe before Friday night's game at Angel Stadium as a fiery competitor who "would blur that line of being cocky and confident and not care. He had that swagger…. "

"Clearly, he was a kid who never reached his potential, but for a short time he did. The feeling of regret, he never expressed, as far as I know."

Dodger announcer Vin Scully called the news "heartbreaking."

Added Scully before Friday night's game at San Diego: "The thing I remember about Steve Howe was how calm he always was, how low-key he could be in pressure spots. He always seemed detached from the crowd. I assume that's why he was able to be so successful."

Said Dodger broadcaster Rick Monday, a former teammate of Howe's: "He seemed to constantly struggle to figure out how to get his life in order. But no matter how bad things were, Steve always found a ray of sunshine."

Howe is survived by his wife, Cindy, daughter Chelsi and son Brian, a senior left-handed pitcher at Valencia High School.

Condolences and deep sympathy to his family. We mourn the passing of Howe.

Full article here.