Player Profile: Rick L. Anderson

I have one card of Rick Anderson, from 1981 Topps.

Playing career: Rick Anderson pitched in one game for the 1979 Yankees, and five games for the 1980 Mariners. He pitched a total of twelve innings in the major leagues.

Post-playing career: Anderson was found dead on June 23, 1989, in the converted truck trailer he was using as a home in a boatyard in Wilmington, CA. He died of heart failure caused by obesity – he weighed over 400 pounds at the time of his death. When his body was discovered, he was clutching a letter from a fan requesting an autographed baseball card.

My memories: Only knew him from his baseball card. Had no idea he pitched for the Yankees or his sad story.

Google Autocomplete results: Rick Anderson Yankees is second when you type Rick Anderson Y, between Rick Anderson Yankee Composites, referring to the owner of the glider manufacturer, and Rick Anderson Yale, referring to a PhD student in African History.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Ryan Anderson.