Bouton, ex-Yankees pitcher and ‘Ball Four’ author, dies
Former New York Yankees pitcher Jim Bouton, whose irreverent, raunchy baseball memoir, “Ball Four,” attracted both hostility and acclaim, died on Wednesday at his home in Massachusetts, according to media reports. He was 80.
The Newark, New Jersey, native died following a battle with a brain disease linked to dementia after weeks of hospice care, New York’s Daily News reported. The knuckleballer, who spent 10 years in the major leagues, was best known for writing the best-selling “Ball Four,” recounting the 1969 season when he was a member of the expansion Seattle Pilots and the Houston Astros as well as his earlier years with the Yankees. The book gave fans a rare, intimate glimpse into the drinking, drug use and sexual escapades that went on in professional baseball at that time. “You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time,” Bouton wrote at the end of his book. When released, “Ball Four” was harshly criticized within the game, especially by baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. But the memoir became widely popular with baseball fans. Bouton, who finished his career with a 62-63 record and a 3.57 ERA, enjoyed his best season in 1963, when he won 21 games and was an All-Star. He pitched in two World Series for the Yankees.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
- RSS
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证:沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证:31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证:0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证:沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证:沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.