september april american professional baseball player right handed relief pitcher played major_league_baseball mlb pittsburgh pirates houston born chicago grew georgia started professional career making majors seasons alternated teams playing pirates team farm system drafted national_league relief pitchers diagnosed right leg march comeback baseball following surgery national headlines encouraged research disease spent season relief pitcher pain health deteriorated soon died months complications houston area hospital age ashes spread construction site future home team retired jersey number wore black season honor early career born chicago moved family atlanta aspiring professional baseball player practiced day field house multi sport star georgia attended scholarship played school baseball basketball teams captain senior year named team shortstop graduating georgia participated local camp bears class georgia low level minor league affiliate milwaukee braves organization team starting professional baseball career pitcher pitched bears games starting finished win loss record earned run average missed seasons serving united_states_army pitched military team fort colorado discharge played win loss record games team finished record led league complete games promoted record earned run average games pitched played atlanta went earned run average games relief pitcher traded pittsburgh pirates organization prior season pirates assigned triple affiliate salt lake city bees bees record earned run average games relief major_league career pittsburgh pirates strength performance bees promoted pirates roster near end season appeared game loss cincinnati_reds pitched seven innings giving earned runs striking left game position win pirates leading gave earned runs ninth inning blown save loss spots starting rotation available time pirates started season beginning spring training competed fellow place pirates began strongly spring training winning row point game detroit_tigers combined daniels throw hitter manager impressed pitching expected pirates fifth starter combination spot starter opening day won spot start season reds april gave earned runs innings getting charged loss start philadelphia_phillies april poor control giving runs walking batters innings minute start los_angeles_dodgers pitcher pirates starting pitcher sore throat play pitched innings striking batters gave critical second inning home runs charged loss day game postponed rain pirates faced phillies home game went extra innings pitched thirteenth inning pirates won later half inning earning career win continued struggle bullpen demoted alongside daniels june international_league pitchers promoted main squad june september appeared games starts earning record earned run average strong pitching performance columbus promoted main roster early september help pirates pennant race september reds struck batters innings relief pirates broke team record striking batters inning victory pirates managed win national_league pennant named final roster world series pirates won seven games overall season appeared games pirates compiling record earned run average strikeouts appeared game season pitching innings relief loss dodgers demoted alongside outfielder pirates trim roster players league rules sent columbus spent rest season time starter games win loss record earned run average innings pitched houston selected 35th pick major_league_baseball expansion draft friends houston general manager richards selected better chance pitching majors quickly best relief pitchers national_league started season roster demoted room veteran pitcher appeared games posting win loss record earned run average relief rejoined roster middle season relief specialist appeared games season earning win loss record solid earned run average struck batters walking threw pitches fastball primarily setup pitcher brief tenure according teammate roommate mainly control damage caused starting pitchers removed games year major_league_baseball career compiled win loss record strikeouts saves earned run average games cancer early death cancer diagnosis season beginning spring training season noticed small black mole right leg near thigh golf outing richards ignored mole grew rapid pace richards team trainer told checked doctor inch section mole removed testing doctor confirmed black mole spread groin area team trainer said wonderful attitude meet cancer diagnosis shocked baseball national headlines march underwent hour operation remove right leg technique radical time entering use surgical procedure long surgery month long hospital stay doctors told media beat cancer early detection good physical condition stating good years left baseball career learned doctors unsure cancer surgery success completely removed body chance survival slim best hearing news decided secret outside immediate family wanted return pitch uniform opening day manager added active list prior game cincinnati telling associated_press player anxious pitching appeared sixth inning loss giving runs including home run inning work game said felt real good despite poor performance surgery took toll leg required blood wound pitched times year posted win loss record earned run average games played game september final day regular season time cancer started spread body needed times pain november learned cancer spread chest area released contract december deteriorating health national_league allowed sign scout contract given circumstances player contract rejoined active roster final months death early constantly hospital treatment given months live hospitalized played golf attended baseball honor courageous athlete award ceremony travel spring training camp late february returned hospital permanently march health steadily declined operation final hospital stay management family hospital staff agreed release details illness word leaked dying remained optimistic beat illness final days stating interview sports editor succumbed disease april death came eve season members team attended funeral manager coach teammate season methodist preacher gave eulogy service body cremated construction future begun weeks death family decided spread ashes grounds new funeral service brother flew plane construction site scattered ashes aftermath legacy day death decided honor teammate wearing black entire season uniform number immediately retired team time club retired uniform number ninth time major_league history number retired opening day match cincinnati_reds starting pitcher dedicated victory memory mvp award named honor baseball card updated mention death shortly printing retirement number received criticism teammate jimmy wrote autobiography player african american died active jersey number retired club death appeared games noted bond ended career houston member journalists criticizing retirement numbers use example number retired unfamiliar baseball fans death helped alert general public disease linebacker credited battle saving life linebacker ignoring mole hearing battle cancer mole similar went team doctor diagnosed spread body complete recovery
Jim Umbricht