Steve Dalkowski: perhaps the hardest pitcher in the history of baseball

I would have overlooked story in the Los Angeles Times' sports section had it not been for a Twitter alert from a friend on the east coast. The story, a bitter-sweet tale of great accomplishment and a horrific fall from grace, focuses on Steve Dalkowski, who according to this story may have been one of the hardest throwers in the history of baseball. (read the entire piece here) Dalk as he was known ended up battling the bottle, in and out of Bakersfield, and spent his time with the minor league teams that played at Sam Lynn ball park out in Oildale. The piece was written by Ron Shelton, writer-director of "Tin Cup" and "Bull Durham." Photo taken for the LA Times by Ringo H.W. Chiu.