Former Major League Baseball pitcher Dave Dravecky speaks Friday, April 15, at Christ’s Covenant Church in Winona Lake. Friday’s address was part of the Kosciusko Community YMCA’s annual Good Friday breakfast. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WINONA LAKE — A former Major League pitcher who had a harrowing ordeal with cancer tipped his hat on Friday, April 15, to Kosciusko Community YMCA’s program that offers support to those fighting the disease.

Dave Dravecky

Dave Dravecky enjoyed Major League success over a seven-year stretch in the 1980s, starting with the San Diego Padres and ending with the San Fransisco Giants.

In August 1988, Dravecky was diagnosed with a soft tissue cancer in the deltoid muscle of his pitching arm. Doctors removed a section of the muscle, and he was told he would likely never pitch again. 

Ten months later, in his second start after coming back from surgery, a stunned stadium crowd and TV audience watched as Dravecky snapped his arm and collapsed on the mound in pain after throwing a wild pitch to Tim Raines.

He eventually had to have the arm and shoulder removed, which ended any chance of a comeback.

Together with his wife, Jan, he established a ministry and Dravecky often tours the country speaking to groups.

On Friday, Dravecky gave the keynote address as part of Kosciusko Community YMCA’s annual Good Friday breakfast held at Christ’s Covenant Church in Winona Lake.

Before Dravecky spoke, the breakfast spotlighted the YMCA’s LivingStrong, a 12-week program designed to meet the needs of adults with cancer before, during and after treatment. Much of the focus is on reclaiming wellness in spirit, mind, and body.

Four participants in the program, including one who has fought cancer four times, offered their perspectives at the breakfast. They all expressed an appreciation for having God in their lives as they fought the disease.

Dravecky, a three-time survivor, said he empathized with what they said.

“To listen to these powerful testimonies of mind, body and spirit that are being cared for here. That’s exactly what God does in and through us as we come face to face with people who aren’t,” Draveky said. “He puts himself on display through you and I to show how we can encourage, mentally, physically and spiritually people who go through pain and suffering. That’s what the cross is all about.” 

That type of powerful ministry, he said, is needed in every community.

“There are so many people who are hurting and so many who find themselves alone. No one – no one – should ever feel like they’re alone in the midst of their deepest and darkest moments,” he said.

He told the crowd about the first question posed to him by a reporter after his cancer returned. “Where was God now?” he asked.

Dravecky said it was a good question.

“My response to him was, ‘God didn’t go anywhere. He was still living in my heart. The only thing that changed is my circumstances.'”

Early in his address, he lamented that God was being pushed out of the marketplace, dismissed in schools and even set aside at the dinner table.

“On this day, the greatest sacrifice in the universe took place so that you and I could experience the greatest love ever expressed to you and I,” he said.

“How ironic does that sound where that kind of love would actually be rejected?” he said.

Among his career highlights were playing in two World Series (lost both times) with the Padres and then later being named the Opening Day pitcher for the Giants.

“It’s Dave Dravecky versus Fernando Valenzuela. You could not have painted a better picture. We won 5-1 that day. The pitching was fun. I really enjoyed it. But there is nothing better than when a pitcher gets to hit a double off Fernando Valenzuela and that’s what I did. It felt so good!” he said.