How Did Richie Lewis Die?

Despite his criminal background, Richie Lewis was an extremely successful Major League Baseball player. He was known for his fastball, which he combined with a devastating curveball. Throughout his seven-year career, he appeared in more than 500 games at all levels.

He played for the Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, and Florida Marlins. He had a career ERA of 4.88. He was inducted into the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995.

The Marlins selected Lewis in the November 1992 expansion draft. He made his major-league debut on July 15 of that year. In the final game of his career, Lewis gave up two homers, two walks, and four earned runs on three home runs in 5-2/3 innings. He was eventually released.

He worked as a relief pitcher for the Marlins for three seasons. His best season was in 1993, when he had a 6-3 record in 57 games. He pitched two saves and had 23 strikeouts in the tournament.

He spent most of 1998 back in the Orioles organization, playing for the Rochester Red Wings. He was then re-signed to the Marlins, where he had a brief stint before being released.

Lewis’s career was cut short due to injury. He suffered four arm surgeries. Despite his best years, he still managed to post a career ERA of 4.88. His arm would never be the same.

He was an outstanding pitcher for Florida State, and he was a two-time all-American. He was also ranked third all-time in NCAA history in innings pitched, strikeouts, and strikeouts per nine innings.