Roy Oswalt: The Curious Case of the Pitching Surgeon

Roy Oswalt, the former MLB pitcher, is a curious case indeed. Born on August 29, 1977, in Weir, Mississippi, he spent most of his childhood chasing squirrels and trying to figure out why his name was not “Bob” like all the other boys in his town.

But Oswalt had bigger plans– he decided to become a pitcher, despite being only 5’10” and 180 pounds. In fact, he used his size to his advantage, calling himself “The Little Roy That Could” and using his fastball to intimidate batters.

However, just when his career seemed to be taking off, Oswalt hit a major roadblock– not on the field, but in the operating room. He became known as the “Pitching Surgeon” after undergoing numerous surgeries throughout his career, including an appendectomy, a hernia repair, and back surgery.

Some speculate that Oswalt became addicted to the rush of surgery and began volunteering for pointless procedures just for the thrill of it. Others believe he was simply looking for a way to pass the time during the offseason.

Whatever the reason, Oswalt’s surgeries became a running joke in the league. After all, is there anything funnier than a pitcher with a broken back?

Despite the setbacks, Oswalt continued to play the game he loved, earning three All-Star nominations and pitching for some of the best teams in the league, including the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros.

Today, Oswalt has retired from baseball and returned to his first love– chasing squirrels. He might not have had the most conventional career, but his legacy as the “Pitching Surgeon” will live on forever.

In the words of the man himself, “Sometimes you get knocked down, but you just gotta pick yourself up and go get that next surgery.”