Eric Vaughn Show (; May 19, 1956 – March 16, 1994) was an American professional baseball player who was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent most of his career with the San Diego Padres and holds the team record for most career wins (100). Show was a member of the first Padres team to play in the World Series in 1984. On September 11, 1985, he surrendered Pete Rose's record-breaking 4,192nd career hit.
Show's later life was affected by drug abuse; at age 37, he was found dead in his room at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in 1994.
Early life
Eric Show was born in Riverside, California, as the oldest of three children to Les and Yvonne Show. He was shepherded into playing baseball from a young age by his father, who would physically and verbally abuse his son if he did not perform well. His father's persistence in forcing his son into a baseball career at all costs even extended to college, as he attempted to call signals for him to pitch before being stopped by the team catcher.
Playing career
1981–1984
Show made his major league debut in late September 1981, and the following year went 10–6 while splitting time between the starting rotation and bullpen. He won fifteen games in 1983, and followed with a 15–9 record in 1984. However, he struggled in the postseason, going a combined 0–2 with a 12.38 earned run average in three games.
"The Hit"
On September 11, 1985, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, Show became famous for giving up Pete Rose's 4,192nd hit, which surpassed the career hit record that had long been held by Ty Cobb. During the delay to honor Rose, Show sat on the mound with his arms folded. In The Ballplayers: Baseball's Ultimate Biographical Reference, Mike Shatzkin wrote that Show was "disgruntled (perhaps rightly so) at the lengthy interruption of the contest." Padres teammate Garry Templeton later called Show's actions "bush." Show then got into a dugout shoving match with left fielder Carmelo Martínez over a ball that fell for a single and led to the game-winning run. Finally, Show refused to stay to answer the post-game questions, leaving his teammates to criticize him in his absence. "I'm tired of hearing about his unlucky luck," said Tim Flannery. "That's been at the root of the problem all year. If something goes wrong, he quits. That's why runs aren't scored for him. Guys don't want to play for him. One guy got tired of hearing it."
Show made his last appearance on the National League leaderboard in 1988, a season in which he went 16–11 with 13 complete games and pitched innings. In June 1989, Show underwent back surgery and then received cortisone injections for ongoing back discomfort. Show began to show signs of drug addiction later in his career, and some of his teammates suspected that the problems had started as Show attempted to relieve his back pain.
By 1990, Show had lost his regular spot in San Diego's rotation. The Padres did not pick up his option and bought out his contract for $250,000. Though Show had become known for his tardiness and confrontations with teammates and management in San Diego, the Oakland Athletics had taken risks on troubled players before. They signed Show as a free agent prior to the 1991 season. After Show gave up Rose's record-breaking hit, Graig Nettles wisecracked, "The Birch Society is going to expel Eric for making a Red famous." Dravecky delivered the eulogy at Show's funeral.