A flame-throwing star with the Houston Astros, J. R. Richard was at the
top of his profession when he inexplicably began complaining of arm
weakness in 1980. Initially scoffed at because he continued approaching
100 mph on the radar gun, everything changed when Richard collapsed
while playing catch with a teammate--later diagnosed as a
life-threatening stroke. The shocking development ended Richard's major
league career and set off a chain of events that led to the former
All-Star being homeless by the mid-1990s. This rapid rise and sudden,
tragic fall define the unusual, moving, and inspirational life of a
Houston icon who has endured many hardships but has become an admired
figure in his adopted hometown. J. R. Richard tells that story now in
his own words, including the highs and the lows of his brilliant
athletic career, the difficulties that befell him on and off the field,
abandonment by those he counted on after his stroke, the despair of
losing everything, and his ultimate redemption and giving back to the
community.