Sam McDowell

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<p data-rte-fromparser="true">Following his "retirement", the drinking increased, finally to the point where it cost him his marriage. His wife left him, taking their two children with her, leaving him desolate and broke. A failed business venture had left McDowell $190,000 in debt, and by early 1980 was living with his parents at his childhood home in Pittsburgh. McDowell was working as an insurance salesman by day, McDowell’s drinking increased. Eventually, McDowell checked himself into rehabilitation. One of the first things McDowell did when he got out of rehab was call all his creditors with the promise to repay every penny he owed. After repaying his debts, he enrolled at the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22University%20of%20Pittsburgh%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FUniversity_of_Pittsburgh%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FUniversity_of_Pittsburgh%20University%20of%20Pittsburgh%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="560-14839207855de92a0ba5239"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pittsburgh">University of Pittsburgh</a>, where he earned associates degrees in sports psychology and addiction. Eventually, McDowell returned to the major leagues as a sports addiction counselor with the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers. McDowell earned a World Series ring while working with the 1993 Blue Jays. McDowell also works as a consultant with the Baseball Assistance Team (BAT) and the Major League Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA). In 2001, McDowell remarried, and started a retirement community for former players. He became chairman and CEO at The City of Legends, a retirement resort in Clermont, Florida. The character of <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Sam%20Malone%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FSam_Malone%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FSam_Malone%20Sam%20Malone%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="560-14839207855de92a0ba5239"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Malone">Sam Malone</a>, the alcoholic ex-Red Sox pitcher portrayed by Emmy Award winning actor <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Ted%20Danson%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FTed_Danson%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FTed_Danson%20Ted%20Danson%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="560-14839207855de92a0ba5239"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Danson">Ted Danson</a> in the television program <i><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Cheers%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FCheers%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FCheers%20Cheers%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="560-14839207855de92a0ba5239"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheers">Cheers</a></i>, was based on the baseball life of McDowell. 
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