To Havana and Havana Not

Mike Cuellar, who helped suggest to Earl Weaver that there might be something more to baseball than 3-run homers, has died of stomach cancer at the age of 73. Co-winner of the 1969 American League Cy Young Award, Cuellar rode a screwball among other slow junk to win 20 games 4 times in 5 years from 1969 to 1974, with the Orioles winning the American League East each season. Nicknamed Crazy Horse for his superstitions like sitting in the same spot on the bench, which he would not leave until his catcher had put on his shin guards, he once demanded a clubhouse attendant from Memorial Stadium ship his lucky cap for a road game in Milwaukee. Cuellar was part of the 1971 Orioles staff that included 4 20-game winners, and joins Dave McNally and Pat Dobson in death, leaving only Jim Palmer. Other career highlights included being the first player to hit a grand slam in an ALCS in 1970 against the Twins and giving up Harmon Killebrew’s 500th career home run.