The San Francisco Giants announced on Tuesday that former pitcher Sam McDowell passed away.

The 84-year-old was living in Florida at the time of his passing. He died on Monday.

McDowell was an accomplished pitcher who played 14 years in the Majors for four different teams, most notably with Cleveland from 1961-71. He played two seasons with the Giants from 1972-73. His career ended in 1975 with a career record of 141-134.

The Giants announced his passing on social media. Notably, McDowell was considered the inspiration for the character of Sam Malone in the TV classic “Cheers,” including McDowell’s own battle with alcoholism.

Sam McDowell with Giants

McDowell landed with the Giants in 1972 after he was part of a trade that sent Giants legend and future Baseball Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry to Cleveland. McDowell had demanded the trade.

The left-hander was average in his two seasons with the Giants. He went 11-10 with a 4.36 ERA as he struck out 157 and walked 115 in 204.1 innings. He pitched in 46 games but only started 28. Midway through the 1973 season the Giants traded him to the New York Yankees for cash.

He spent the rest of that season and the 1974 season with the Yankees before he was released. He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 1975 season and was released in late June of that year.

He had his best years with Cleveland from 1961-71 after he was signed by the franchise out of high school in 1960. He was already well known to baseball scouts after throwing nine no-hitters at his prep school, Central Catholic High School, in Pittsburgh.

In 10 seasons with Cleveland, he was one of the American League’s best pitchers, as he was a six-time All-Star, led the AL in ERA in 1965 and the AL in strikeouts five times. He was 122-109 with a 2.99 ERA with 2,159 strikeouts and 1,312 walks. He struck out 300 or more hitters in two seasons and led the AL in walks five times.

McDowell’s post-baseball career was wrapped up in kicking his own addiction to alcohol and then channeling that energy into helping other players. After he conquered his addiction, he got a degree in sports psychology and addiction from the University of Pittsburgh, worked as an addiction consultant for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers and won a World Series ring with the Blue Jays in 1993 as part of that organization.