Bob Short owned the Texas Rangers in 1973. The team
was a flop in the Lone Star State two years after
moving from Washington D.C. The Rangers had failed
to attract more than 9,000 to a game all season.
That June, the franchise used its No. 1 overall
pick in the amateur draft on David Clyde, an 18-year-old
Texas phenom with a sizzling fastball and name recognition.
In his final high school season, Clyde had nearly
been unhittable. He went 18-0, allowing three earned
runs in 148 innings. He was given a $125,000 signing
bonus, setting a record for the largest bonus given
to a draft pick. The money heaped more pressure
on the ill-prepared teen.
Owner Short saw an opportunity to stir interest
in his foundering franchise by throwing Clyde into
the Rangers' starting rotation instead of starting
him in the Minor Leagues, which was customary. It
worked perfectly.
The excitement the homegrown prospect generated
led to the first sellout ever at Arlington Stadium.
Clyde was on the mound in a Rangers uniform June
27, 1973, in front of a crowd of 35,698 only 20
days after pitching Westchester High School to the
state finals.
Clyde walked the first two Minnesota batters he
faced that day before blowing away Bob Darwin, George
Mitterwald and Joe Lis on swinging third strikes
to end his first inning in the big leagues. The
crowd gave him a standing ovation, and he earned
the win in five innings of work. But, the promise
of what he could have achieved was never realized.
Clyde finished his rookie year going 4-8 with a
5.01 earned-run average. Known for hanging out with
some heavy drinking veterans on the Rangers, he
compiled an 18-33 record in 84 starts in the Majors.
This is Clyde’s home jersey from his memorable
rookie year.
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