The most unstable athletes of all time

Steak Snabler · Dec 6, 2012

Dick Whitman said:

Didn't Uguerth Urbina stab a bunch of teen-age waiters with a machete or something like that?

I was told well before that by one of his Venezuelan countrymen that he was a smoldering pack of dynamite, so he has to be on the list.

EDIT: Chased five farm workers with a machete and tried to set them on fire. Bought himself 14 years in prison and the end of his pitching career with that little stunt.
Click to expand...

I think they were swimming in his pool without his permission or something like that.

Baron Scicluna · Dec 6, 2012

Willard Herschberger

Dr. Jerry Graham

iceman27 · Dec 6, 2012

Joey Belle. Yes I know how shocked everybody is at me including Mr. Belle on this list.

dixiehack · Dec 6, 2012

Versatile said:

Mizzougrad96 said:

I had a writer friend who told me a Belle story where he took a reporter's notebook, threw it in the toilet. The reporter went to get it and Belle had taken a shit on it.
Click to expand...

Was Albert Belle anything but angry?
Click to expand...

Strange but true: My old roommate was a clubby for the Barons when Belle came through on a rehab assignment. Not only did he tip super generously, but he also bought a new TV for the clubhouse.

jr/shotglass · Dec 7, 2012

Former Maryland star running back Charlie Wysocki was up there, although sadly, it was understandable -- a bipolar condition.

http://www.aolnews.com/2010/07/29/charlie-wysockis-bipolar-battle/

The main thing I remember is when he was in college. One evening, the Pa. State Police found him in his running car at a shopping mall outside Pottsville, about 50 miles from his home. He was speaking in tongues. Apparently, on his way back to school, he had some sort of mental break.

BitterYoungMatador2 · Dec 7, 2012

I'm sure he doesn't qualify as an "athlete," but for those here who do not follow professional billiards (which I'm hedging is 98 percent of you), take a moment when you have time and Youtube "Earl Strickland." Steve Spurrier + your redneck uncle + an idiot savant + a meth head = this guy

Bodie_Broadus · Dec 7, 2012

Anyone mention Gilbert Arenas?

Boom_70 · Dec 7, 2012

Bison Dele ( AKA Brian Williams) might go to the top of the list.

Bill Walton was unstable for a time but pulled himself out of it. Just a phase for him.

cyclingwriter · Dec 7, 2012

Baron Scicluna said:

From the 19th century baseball division, Hall of Famer John Clarkson.

Excellent pitcher, but from reports, extremely sensitive to criticism. Cap Anson said he couldn't say one negative thing, otherwise, Clarkson couldn't pitch.

At the end of his career, he went on a hunting trip with catcher Charlie Bennett. While running to catch a train, Bennett fell underneath the wheels, and ended up losing his legs. Clarkson was never the same mentally, and retired the next year. He later ended up in a mental institution.

A second: Pitcher Ed Doheny

A mediocre pitcher who finally started winning with the '02 and '03 Pirates, winning 16 each year. But in '03, he supposedly hurt his arm, became sullen, and drank heavily. Threw a fit in the clubhouse and was sent to the to Danvers Asylum for the Criminally Insane in Danvers, Massachusetts. He was there about a month, returned to the team, pitched well, but went back home for a while because of his behavior.

As per wikipedia, his teammates felt bad and sent him his uni to cheer him up. Instead, Doheny thought he was making a comeback until he found out the Pirates lost the WS to the Pilgrims/Red Sox. Then he went crazy, knocked out his nurse with an iron poker, forcing his wife to run to neighbors for help and he ended up committed to Danvers for the rest of his life, which was only 13 years until age 43, where he died of TB.

And last, but certainly not least: Marty Bergen

Catcher on two Boston pennant winners in the late 90s. First month of '00, killed his wife and two kids, ages 3 and 6, with an axe, then slit his throat. On his wikipedia page, a study thinks he might have been schizophrenic and manic depressive (gee, ya think?)

Considered a very good fielder and decent hitter, but, shall we say, showed signs he wasn't all there. Slapped pitcher Vic Willis for no reason, having hallucinations, walking sideways for fear of assassins, jumped the team several times, jumped out of the way of pitches he was supposed to catch because he thought someone was trying to stab him. He had another son die, and he thought teammates were poking fun behind his back.

And a side note: His brother Bill was also an excellent defensive catcher, but also one of the worst hitters in history. A lifetime .170 hitter in 947 games over 11 seasons. The most games he ever played in a season was 112 with the Dodgers in 1909. He hit .139 that year.

See, even 100+ years ago, athletes weren't always sane.
Click to expand...

And somehow Bergen got some Hall of Fame votes in the 1930s.

Mark2010 · Dec 7, 2012

Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest are in a class by themselves. Both should have been in the psych ward.

Yodel · Dec 7, 2012

Wasn't there an LSU basketball player that climbed into the Tiger cage during a bout of depression many years back? Or maybe I dreamed that.

Riptide · Dec 7, 2012

Steve Howe. Right to the final second.

Log in or Sign up

The most unstable athletes of all time

Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

iceman27 New Member

dixiehack Well-Known Member

jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

BitterYoungMatador2 Well-Known Member

Bodie_Broadus Active Member

Boom_70 Well-Known Member

cyclingwriter Active Member

Mark2010 Active Member

Yodel Active Member

Riptide Well-Known Member

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

The most unstable athletes of all time

Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

iceman27 New Member

dixiehack Well-Known Member

jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

BitterYoungMatador2 Well-Known Member

Bodie_Broadus Active Member

Boom_70 Well-Known Member

cyclingwriter Active Member

Mark2010 Active Member

Yodel Active Member

Riptide Well-Known Member

Share This Page

Useful Searches