Bob Myrick: Former 1970's Mets Relief Pitcher (1976 - 1978)

Robert Howard Myrick was born October 1, 1952, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

In high school Myrick was a star athlete in baseball, basketball & football. He received pro attention & turned down offers as well as one from the 1970 Baltimore Orioles.

The six-foot left-hander chose to attend Mississippi State University on a baseball scholarship.

He was eventually drafted by the New York Mets in the 24th round of the 1974 draft. 

In his second year in the minors, he went a combined 10-4 with a 2.98 ERA between AA & AAA Tidewater. Myrick started to become a full-time relief pitcher at the AAA level. 

That year the Tides finished first under manager Joe Frazier who would become the Mets manager the next year. Frazier would bring up many of his young players from Tidewater, including Myrick.

In the bicentennial year, Myrick started out the year 2-0 at Tidewater before getting the big-league promotion.

MLB Career:  On May 28th, Myrick made his big-league debut at Shea Stadium, pitching to one batter, in a 6-0 Mets loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. 

On July 27th, he pitched three scoreless relief innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, earning his first career win. 

In that game he came to bat against the Phillies Tom Underwood in the 5th inning with two men on. Underwood threw a wild pitch scoring a run, then Myrick grounded to third baseman Mike Schimdt scoring Bud Harrelson with the go ahead run.

 On September 28th, the Montreal Expos beat him up for four runs (two earned) & five hits in the 4th inning of a 4-2 Mets loss. 

Overall, he made 21 appearances posting a 3.25 ERA. His control was an issue as he issued 13 walks in 27.2 innings. Bob posted 11 strike outs while finishing off four games. 

Trivia: Myrick helped Mets coach Joe Pignatano tender his tomato plants in the Met bullpen for the most part of his three years at Shea Stadium.

1977: Myrick made five April appearances, taking a loss to the Pirates on April 22nd. From May 6th to June 11th, he issued a walk in ten straight appearances.

On June 24thm he pitched five innings allowing one run in the Mayors Trophy Game. In early July he hurt his rib cage & went on the DL for three weeks.

On August 5th, Myrick earned his first win when Lenny Randle doubled home Doug Flynn in the 8th inning, for the Mets winning run. 

On August 12th, he was given his first career start, where he took a no decision in a loss at Pittsburgh. August 30th, he made his third start of the season & was hit for five runs in a loss to the Astros.

On September 11th, he earned his next victory, pitching 3.2 scoreless innings at Wrigley Field in Chicago. During the final two weeks of the season, he earned two saves, in games against the Chicago Cubs & St. Louis Cardinals. 

On the season, Myrick made a career high 44 appearances, going 2-2 with a 3.61 ERA in 87 innings.

Home Injury: That fall he fractured his ankle at his home in Long Island when he stepped on a tennis ball. He spent four weeks in a cast before it healed.

1978:  Myrick began the dismal season with the Mets out of Spring training. On April 15th, he took his first loss coming in Montreal serving up a walk off HR to Andre Dawson. On April 26th, he gave up a top of the 10th HR to the Pirates Ed Ott taking his second loss. On May 2nd, he blew a save in Atlanta giving up two walks & three hits including a walk off single to Biff Pocoroba in the 5-4 loss.

Myrick was 0-3 getting credit for two holds, finishing up seven games, posting a 3.28 ERA. He allowed nine earned runs & issued 13 walks in 24.2 innings. 

In mid-May, he was sent back to AAA Tidewater where he went 4-8. 

1979:  In June 1979, he & Mike Bruhert were traded to the Texas Rangers for veteran Doc Ellis, who's best days were way behind him. Myrick would pitch in at AAA for the Rangers & Chicago Cubs thru 1981.

Career Stats: In three MLB seasons, Bob Myrick was 3-6 with two saves and a 3.48 ERA, he struck out 73 & walked 59 in 139 innings pitched in 82 appearances.

Family: In 1975, Bob married his long-time sweetheart Debi (Osburn) in Mississippi. Together they had four sons.

Retirement: After baseball, he returned to his hometown in Mississippi. There he helped run a family building supply business with his brother & some cousins.

Passing: In August of 2012 he suffered a heart attack & passed away at age 59.

Myrick’s great uncle was two-time A.L. All Star & former batting champion, Buddy Meyer. Myer played 17 MLB seasons, as an infielder, mostly at second base. He spent 15 seasons with the Washington Senators & two with the Boston Red Sox. 

In 1928 Meyer won the stolen base crown, swiping 30 bases while with the Boston Red Sox. In 1935 he won the A.L. batting title batting .349 with 215 hits.

Meyer hit over .300 eight times in his career & was a lifetime .303 hitter with a .389 on base percentage. At second base Meyer twice led the league in fielding.