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Alright, I couldn't resist. I did a quick LexisNexis news search on the thing with Roy O.
Boston Herald
October 26, 2005
By: Jeff Horrigan
Title: Shocking experience; Oswalt has Astros on his back
Roy Oswalt's career was in jeopardy in 1999 when the sore-armed, single-A pitcher changed his fate by accidentally shocking himself with live sparkplug wires while attempting to repair his pickup truck. . . . The 28-year-old, who has won 20 games in each of the last two regular seasons, was in danger of having his career ended six years ago due to persistent shoulder problems, only to receive the shock of his life. While standing on a metal stool, he mishandled live sparkplug wires and nearly electrocuted himself. The electricity, however, broke up the scar tissue in Oswalt's shoulder that was responsible for the pain.
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St. Petersburg Times
October 25, 2005
By: Marc Topkin
Title: Astros turn to the right guy to give fading hopes a jolt
If the Astros are going to take the charge out of the White Sox, it would be no shock to see Oswalt do it.
Especially as a shock may be what made the 28-year-old right-hander the pitcher he is.
Oswalt didn't know what was wrong with his shoulder after he finished 1999 13-4 at Class A. He just knew it wasn't right. The pain was so bad he was taking a half-dozen Advil to sleep. He couldn't do anything about the worry he would need surgery that could jeopardize his career.
One day he was puttering around trying to fix a misfiring engine on his beat-up 1985 Ford pickup. He ended up with the shock of a lifetime.
"I grew up around some guys who built motors and raced cars, so I kind of knew what was going on," Oswalt said. "I figured there was a spark plug wire on the manifold that had maybe melted and got down to the metal.
"I picked up the one that was burnt and grabbed the straight metal, and every time the motor would turn it would shoot volts through me. I don't know how many, but it was a lot. It contracted my hand, and I couldn't get my hand back out. So the only thing I could do was jerk it out of the motor. And when I jerked it out I kind of hit the ground. I got up, and I noticed my arm feels a lot better.
"I was standing there thinking there was no way that just happened. So anyway, I got a new spark plug, my truck started running better and I didn't think nothing else about it. That night I went to sleep, and the next morning it felt great."
He felt great all winter and when he got to spring training excitedly told the trainers what happened, figuring maybe the voltage knocked loose some scar tissue or something. They laughed. Six years later, former and current teammates still get a chuckle.
"Maybe he invented a new treatment," Blum said. "Plug yourself into your car battery and win 20 games. It's radical therapy."
***************************************************************
USA Today
October 25, 2005
By: Mel Antonen
Title: Oswalt again called on for spark
Roy Oswalt owes a big thank you to the spark plug wires in his 1985 Ford pickup. They gave him a shock that saved him from arm surgery -- and sent him on a career path toward pitching the biggest game of the World Series tonight for the Houston Astros.
After his 1999 Class A season at Battle Creek, Mich., in the Midwest League, Oswalt went home to Mississippi with an injured shoulder. His pickup engine wasn't running properly, so he stood on a bucket to look under the hood.
He grabbed the spark plug wires. Metal touched metal. Volts of electricity surged through Oswalt's right arm and knocked him off the bucket.
It also fixed his arm. Doctors said the volts loosened scar tissue that was impinging on his shoulder.
"I could feel the difference in two or three minutes," Oswalt says. "The pain went from unbearable to sore. The next day, I could throw. It was the only thing that could have fixed it."
**laughs** I love the way the little details vary from story to story. Just make shit up guys, 'cause who's gonna notice, right?
Boston Herald
October 26, 2005
By: Jeff Horrigan
Title: Shocking experience; Oswalt has Astros on his back
Roy Oswalt's career was in jeopardy in 1999 when the sore-armed, single-A pitcher changed his fate by accidentally shocking himself with live sparkplug wires while attempting to repair his pickup truck. . . . The 28-year-old, who has won 20 games in each of the last two regular seasons, was in danger of having his career ended six years ago due to persistent shoulder problems, only to receive the shock of his life. While standing on a metal stool, he mishandled live sparkplug wires and nearly electrocuted himself. The electricity, however, broke up the scar tissue in Oswalt's shoulder that was responsible for the pain.
St. Petersburg Times
October 25, 2005
By: Marc Topkin
Title: Astros turn to the right guy to give fading hopes a jolt
If the Astros are going to take the charge out of the White Sox, it would be no shock to see Oswalt do it.
Especially as a shock may be what made the 28-year-old right-hander the pitcher he is.
Oswalt didn't know what was wrong with his shoulder after he finished 1999 13-4 at Class A. He just knew it wasn't right. The pain was so bad he was taking a half-dozen Advil to sleep. He couldn't do anything about the worry he would need surgery that could jeopardize his career.
One day he was puttering around trying to fix a misfiring engine on his beat-up 1985 Ford pickup. He ended up with the shock of a lifetime.
"I grew up around some guys who built motors and raced cars, so I kind of knew what was going on," Oswalt said. "I figured there was a spark plug wire on the manifold that had maybe melted and got down to the metal.
"I picked up the one that was burnt and grabbed the straight metal, and every time the motor would turn it would shoot volts through me. I don't know how many, but it was a lot. It contracted my hand, and I couldn't get my hand back out. So the only thing I could do was jerk it out of the motor. And when I jerked it out I kind of hit the ground. I got up, and I noticed my arm feels a lot better.
"I was standing there thinking there was no way that just happened. So anyway, I got a new spark plug, my truck started running better and I didn't think nothing else about it. That night I went to sleep, and the next morning it felt great."
He felt great all winter and when he got to spring training excitedly told the trainers what happened, figuring maybe the voltage knocked loose some scar tissue or something. They laughed. Six years later, former and current teammates still get a chuckle.
"Maybe he invented a new treatment," Blum said. "Plug yourself into your car battery and win 20 games. It's radical therapy."
USA Today
October 25, 2005
By: Mel Antonen
Title: Oswalt again called on for spark
Roy Oswalt owes a big thank you to the spark plug wires in his 1985 Ford pickup. They gave him a shock that saved him from arm surgery -- and sent him on a career path toward pitching the biggest game of the World Series tonight for the Houston Astros.
After his 1999 Class A season at Battle Creek, Mich., in the Midwest League, Oswalt went home to Mississippi with an injured shoulder. His pickup engine wasn't running properly, so he stood on a bucket to look under the hood.
He grabbed the spark plug wires. Metal touched metal. Volts of electricity surged through Oswalt's right arm and knocked him off the bucket.
It also fixed his arm. Doctors said the volts loosened scar tissue that was impinging on his shoulder.
"I could feel the difference in two or three minutes," Oswalt says. "The pain went from unbearable to sore. The next day, I could throw. It was the only thing that could have fixed it."
**laughs** I love the way the little details vary from story to story. Just make shit up guys, 'cause who's gonna notice, right?
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