June 10th, 2014 at 12:44 pm 
by Ron Cervenka Dodgers and Oakland A’s pitching great Bob Welch died of a heart attack at his home in Seal Beach, California on Monday night. He was 57.
“The Los Angeles Dodgers are saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Welch,” said Dodger President and CEO Stan Kasten. “He was one of the greatest competitors to wear the Dodger uniform. Dodger fans will always remember his confrontation with Yankee great Reggie Jackson in Game 2 of the 1978 World Series, when the 21-year-old rookie struck out Jackson to end the game.”
Welch, who pitched 17 years in the Major Leagues, was a first-round draft choice of the Dodgers in 1977 from Eastern Michigan University and was promoted to the big league team in 1978, spending 10 seasons in Los Angeles. In 1988, he joined the Oakland A’s with whom he spent his last seven years in the Majors. Overall, Welch compiled a 211-146 record with 1,969 strikeouts and a 3.47 ERA in 3,092 innings.
“You can’t say enough about the game of baseball,” Welch said during an exclusive ThinkBlueLA.com interview one year ago this past Sunday before an Old-Timers Game at Dodger Stadium. “It has evolved into a whole new avenue now and just to be able to be a part of it in my life is special. And to be a part of it here in Los Angeles to start off, and a group who confronted me on my life, that really is the only reason why I’m alive today and it had nothing to do with the baseball game itself. [The Dodgers] offered a lot more than what was happening on the field.”
Welch entertained Dodger fans when he appeared in an Old-Timers Games against Yankees old-timers on June 8, 2013 at Dodger Stadium. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
The right-hander was a part of three World Series champions – the 1981 Dodgers and 1989 A’s as a player, and the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks as their pitching coach. In addition to the ’81 Dodgers championship, he was a key contributor to the Dodgers winning four division titles (1978, 1981, 1983 and 1985) and two NL pennants. He was a two-time All-Star (1980 and 1990) and earned the American League Cy Young Award in 1990 when he won 27 games for the A’s. He is the last pitcher to win at least 25 games in a single season – an accomplishment that will most likely never again be surpassed.
Following his retirement in 1994, Welch turned his attention to coaching and community work. He most recently served as a spring training instructor with the A’s this past spring in Phoenix, AZ.
Welch authored a book in 1991 titled Five O’Clock Comes Early: A Cy Young Award-Winner Recounts His Greatest Victory (co-written by George Vecsey) that details his battle overcoming alcoholism.
Welch is survived by three children—Dylan, Riley and Kelly.
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@Think_BlueLA total bummer.
So sorry to hear that. Much too young. Thanks for the memories Bob.
I have his book.
Wow, so sad. Game 2 of 1978 stands out for me so much because I wasn’t able to watch the game and had to listen to it on that old thing called an AM radio. Listening to the Jackson-Welch match up was one of those times you were glued to watching your radio. I don’t know if Reggie was kidding but years later he said the real reason he missed the last pitch was because a flashbulb from a camera went off and distracted his eyesight. I think Reggie knew Welch just burned him and, in a strange way, was tipping his hat to Welch. R.I.P.
It was a six-minute at bat that seemed like a half hour. One of the greatest pitcher-hitter battles of all time.
I was absolutely flattered and honored that Bob took the time to talk with me last June.
I was also blessed to get this back in 2012 at Dodger Stadium:
Saddened to hear of Bob’s passing. His strikeout of Reggie Jackson is one of my favorite memories of the Dodgers and Yankees of 1978.
What devastating news, I feel so terrible. He was so young and had been through so much. I remember what a great start to his career he had when he was brought up in 1978 and how thrilled I was when he struck out Reggie Jackson in the 1978 WS.
I’ll always remember that day when he struck out Reggie Jackson. I have clippings of it in a scrap book. I remember Jackson said he was distraction by the runner leading off first, which I don’t recall who it was. There were many former Dodger fans still around here at that time that hated the Dodgers and were angry. It was a great memory for a Dodger fan, even though we eventually lost the World Series.
May he rest in peace, my condolences to his family and friends.