Page 117 - 1975 BoSox

SOMETIME DURING THE 1975 season, pitcher Dick Drago stopped in a convenience store and was recognized by the
counter clerk as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Not being familiar with Drago out of uniform, the clerk asked the pitcher his name. Dick answered, “I’m Drago.” To which the clerk responded, “Oh yeah, Drago Segui.”1
at Dick Drago was mistaken for the older, Cuban- born fellow reliever Diego Segui shows that Drago, while in Boston, played in the shadows of his more highly visible and more widely publicized teammates. Although he never received the acclaim given to others, it is clear that he was a key player on his Red Sox teams; never was he more important than during the glory season of 1975.
Richard Anthony Drago was born in Toledo, Ohio, on June 25, 1945. Of Italian-German descent, he had a typical middle-class upbringing in the medium-sized industrial city. He played local youth baseball, culmi- nating in being named a Connie Mack all-star. At Woodward High School, Dick lettered in basketball and bowling as well as baseball. It was in baseball that he truly excelled; his varsity record was 18-3, which included two no-hitters as a senior. Although he did receive some attention from scouts, Drago decided to accept a baseball scholarship to the University of Detroit. Although more known as a basketball or football school (the university dropped football in Drago’s freshman year) it had recently
produced a prominent baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, Dave DeBusschere. Better known as a pro basketball player, DeBusschere was an eight-time All-Star in the NBA.
After Drago’s freshman year, Detroit Tigers scout Herman Kander signed him to a professional contract. He began the
1965 season at Daytona Beach in the Florida State League. After 14 appearances, and a record of 4-7, he was promoted to Rocky Mount in the Carolina League. His midseason elevation did not meet with immediate success. Although su ering from errors behind him (one-third of the runs scored o him were unearned), Drago completed only three of eight starts while posting a 1-7 record.
In 1966 Drago returned to Rocky Mount and had a ne year, nishing 15-9, 1.79 ERA, with a league- leading seven shutouts. He was the winning pitcher in the Carolina League all-star game and, in a double- header against Greensboro, he threw a seven-inning no-hitter. (His roommate, Darrell Clark, tossed another seven-inning no-no in the nightcap.)
Drago advanced to Montgomery (Southern League) for 1967 and again won 15 games, this time leading the league. is earned him a promotion to Triple-A Toledo, where he got in one game, giving up two hits and one run in three innings.
Drago spent all of 1968 pitching for the hometown Mud Hens and for the third year in a row won 15 games. He had 146 strikeouts, nine complete games, and a respectable 3.36 ERA. He pitched in the International League All-Star game. His continued success throughout the Detroit minor-league system would suggest that a Tigers call-up loomed for 1969. Instead, the promising pitcher was exposed to the
expansion draft in 1968 and was selected by the brand-new Kansas City Royals.
For the Royals, Drago became the work- horse. During his ve years in Kansas City, he averaged 32 starts, 10 complete games, and well over 200 innings pitched. His best year, and the only one in which he had a winning record with the Royals, was 1971 when he posted a 17-11 record,
Dick Drago
by Tom Harkins
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