[Phogge]

That's the story I heard. I think McDowell was the most highly scouted high school player in history up to that point. He had the stuff, maybe better than Bob Feller but a ten cent head. Funny how things work out. I played with a fellow in HS who had an MLB arm. Fastball had very late movement and not many "barrel" balls off him in three years. He also had a breaking ball that the more I think about it was really a cutter. Very late movement and he threw it in to RH hitters who were about 90% of the guys we faced. Extremely professional on the hill with a brother who was one of the first $100,000 bonus babies. Had many college offers including from Paddy Cottrell at Santa Clara and at least a half dozen MLB teams followed him. Best stuff I ever saw at our level and more ball movement than the best pitcher I faced in college, Andy Messersmith. But he didn't want any of it. Never played again and had a good life. Alas.

[Phogge]

That's the story I heard. I think McDowell was the most highly scouted high school player in history up to that point. He had the stuff, maybe better than Bob Feller but a ten cent head. Funny how things work out. I played with a fellow in HS who had an MLB arm. Fastball had very late movement and not many "barrel" balls off him in three years. He also had a breaking ball that the more I think about it was really a cutter. Very late movement and he threw it in to RH hitters who were about 90% of the guys we faced. Extremely professional on the hill with a brother who was one of the first $100,000 bonus babies. Had many college offers including from Paddy Cottrell at Santa Clara and at least a half dozen MLB teams followed him. Best stuff I ever saw at our level and more ball movement than the best pitcher I faced in college, Andy Messersmith. But he didn't want any of it. Never played again and had a good life. Alas.