Athletes - Dave Stewart

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	Athletes - Dave Stewart

David Keith Stewart (born February 19 1957 in Oakland, California) is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Early life

Stewart attended Castlemont High School in Oakland, California.

Early career

Stewart was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 16th round of the 1975 amateur draft and made his major league debut on September 22, 1978. He did not find his niche in the major leagues until some time later. After some time in the minor leagues, he resurfaced in the majors again in 1981. Teams were unsure how he would be best utilized, and Stewart split time starting and relieving for the Dodgers, Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies in the early to mid-1980s. His nickname at the time was Dave "Smoke" Stewart. In 1986, the Oakland Athletics signed him after he was released by the Phillies.

Best years

Stewart's homecoming would prove to do him good. In 1987 he won 20 games while posting an impressive 3.68 ERA and striking out 205 batters. His new-found stardom would not be short-lived as he won 20 or more games in each of the next three seasons (1988-1990) and led a powerful Athletics club to the World Series each of those years. Remarkably, he pitched over 250 innings in each of those four seasons. In 1989, the Athletics won the World Series championship, with Stewart being named World Series MVP. In 1990, the A's won their third straight pennant, beating the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series, and Stewart was named the ALCS MVP. However, Oakland would shockingly be swept in the World Series by a decidedly underdog Cincinnati Reds squad.

Stewart was also a part of the 1992 Oakland Athletics team which lost in the ALCS to the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto went on to win the World Series that year, catching Stewart's eye and prompting him to sign with them in 1993. He couldn't have asked for more than what he got in Toronto. The team made it to the ALCS once again, and triumphed over the Chicago White Sox 4 games to 2, with Stewart winning ALCS MVP honours for the second time in his career. The Blue Jays then went on to defeat the Phillies 4 games to 2 in the World Series.

On June 29, 1990, while with Oakland, Stewart pitched a no-hitter against his future team, the Blue Jays, at SkyDome. Hours later, Dodger Fernando Valenzuela no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium — the first time in major league history that no-hitters had been thrown in both leagues on the same day.

One of Stewart's most remarkable accomplishments is a 7-1 all time career record against future Hall-of-Famer Roger Clemens.

Legal Problems

Dave Stewart had some legal problems throughout his career, most notably an arrest for solicitation of a transvestite prostitute. In 1985, after police observed him soliciting the prostitute in downtown Los Angeles, Stewart was arrested a few minutes later in a nearby alley. Also arrested was the hooker, "Lucille." Lucille was actually Elson Tyler, a 27-year-old 6-foot-3 unemployed laborer. "Mr. Stewart said he was unaware that Tyler was a male until after the arrest," Police Cmdr. William Booth said. "That was his statement and we have reason to believe him." Vice officers refused to give details of the incident but a police source said the transvestite was performing oral sex on Stewart.

Accomplishments

All-Star (1989)
World Series MVP Award
American League Championship Series MVP (1990, 1993)
Finished 8th in AL MVP voting (1990)
Finished 2nd in AL Cy Young voting (1989)
Finished 3rd in AL Cy Young voting (1987, 1990)
Finished 4th in AL Cy Young voting (1988)
Career 168-129 record
Two World Series championships (1989 - Oakland, 1993 - Toronto)
Roberto Clemente Award (1990)

Teams

Los Angeles Dodgers (1978, 1981-1983)
Texas Rangers (1983-1985)
Philadelphia Phillies (1985-1986)
Oakland Athletics (1986-1992, 1995)
Toronto Blue Jays (1993-1994)

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