Sammy Ellis passed away on Friday, May 13, 2016. Most of the Nation has probably never heard of Sammy Ellis. He only pitched for the Reds from 1963-1967. He’s not in the Reds Hall of Fame. But for three pivotal years, Sammy Ellis was an integral part of the Cincinnati Reds as a right-handed starting pitcher.
His rise and fall were meteoric. He went from an All-Star to a 19-game loser. But after his playing career was over, Ellis was able to transform himself into one of the better pitching coaches of his time.
How good a coach was he?