Flanagan threatened suicide many times

Police records show former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Mike Flanagan threatened to kill himself several times before committing suicide.

Flanagan won the Cy Young award in 1979 and was a member of the Orioles' 1983 world championship team. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound outside his Baltimore County home last month.

Records obtained by The Baltimore Sun reveal that Flanagan had previously threatened to shoot himself and had walked outside with a gun several times. His wife, Alex, had discouraged him from suicide each time.

Alex Flanagan told detectives that the couple was upset that he had been working without a contract for a year and a half as a commentator with the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. The Orioles' communications director says Flanagan had a contract and was being paid.