In Memoriam: Jim Bouton (1939-2019)

"I learned Math from Baseball & Jim Bouton taught me How to Read"

Not entirely true, but there is a lot of truth there.

Prior to college I think I only finished maybe...  three books, "1984", "Wired" the Biography of Jim Belushi, and "Ball Four". All those novels we were supposed to read in High School (Hester Prynne, Silas Marner, Macbeth, Huck Finn, etc Who Knows What Else)  - I read exactly none of them.

But "Ball Four" it spoke to me.

"Ball Four" - Jim Bouton (1970 2nd Edition)

I have read the book three times once as a teenager. Again in my 20s or 30s, and most recently in my late 40s in preparation to see Bouton at the NYC SABR convention.

The SABR panel was incredible. That weekend it was publicly announced that Jim Bouton had a brain disease related to dementia. Regardless with the help of his wife Paula Kurman he was up to the task of discussing his life and Ball Four in a panel dedicated to Bouton and the book. A fan of the book and the man could asked for nothing more. Bouton was funny, touching, and informative. He was "Ball Four" personified.

He was also good enough to pose for pictures while signing books and other memorabilia.

 Jim Bouton (2017 Jul 01)

The Photo on the left page is one that I took at the event. The book is a 2nd edition

Ball Four (2nd Edition)

Here is Ball Four sans jacket.

That's it for now. Over the coming weeks I would like to mine the Phungo Museum for some other Bouton related content. Today, I would just like to recognize that he will always be a favorite author and I am glad I was introduced to his unique point of view early in my life and have been able to enjoy it to this day.

Memorials & Tributes
SABR (Mark Armour)

Sources and Link
Jim Bouton Index
SABR Bio (Mark Armour)
SABR47 NYC

VittlesWords

This is an index of our postings related to Books and Authors

1968 Topps #562 Jim Bouton

Eliot Asinof "Eight Men Out" (1962)
Jim Bouton "Ball Four"
Bill Conlin "Batting Cleanup" Signing 1997 07 xx
Stefan Fatsis Signing 2008 07 22
Stefan Fatsis (Word Freak Review by Nachos Grande) 
Rob Fitts (Masanori Murakami bio signing) 2015 06 27
Charlaine Harris signing 2010 05 25
Tim McCarver signing 2008 08 21

Fanatic Authentics Brings HOF signers to Oaks PA show

An outfit known as Fanatic Authentics is hosting an autograph show in Oaks PA this weekend.

 

The shows two dozen plus guests form the realms of baseball, football, and boxing include several 1980 Phils (Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton & Others), Current Eagles (Shady McCoy, Foles) , San Francisco 49ers (Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott +), and Pugilists (MIKE TYSON, Sugar Ray Leonard + ).

1968 Topps #372 Lou Brock All-Star

One of the highlights is a bunch of Hall of Famers that are expected to appear Sunday including BOB GIBSON, Johnny Bench, Andre Dawson, Tony Perez and Lou Brock

 

In conjunction with our playoff cards postings we have chosen Lou Brock as our featured card among this HoF Lot.  Brock may have started his career with the Chicago Cubs, but he is best known as a St Louis Cardinal. Throughout my childhood Brock was the stolen base king and he finished his career first on the all-time list with 938 thefts. Brock was more than a base stealer over the course of 19 seasons (16 with the Cardinals) he accumulated 3023 hits, good enough for 24th on the all time list.

1968 Topps All-Stars

The 20 card 1968T AS subset runs from #361-#380. In addition to Lou Brock there are three other Cardinals are in the Set, Orlando Cepeda, Tim McCarver and Bob Gibson.

There are a total of 12 Hall of Famers among the All-Stars Three of the Cardinals (excluding McCarver) , Joe Morgan, Harmon Killebrew, Brooks & Frank Robinson, Rod Carew, Ron Santo, Yaz, Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente,

The 1968 Topps AS subset is especially fun for Lou Brock fans as the backs of the cards for NL Representatives are a puzzle that when constructed correctly build a picture of Brock.

 

Unfortunately The Phillies are not represented in the subset.

For a more comprehensive look at the subset including a look at the puzzle pieces on the b-sides check out 1968 Topps Baseball

FREE

As part of the Friday Signing Hall of Fame Pitcher Fergie Jenkins will be signing autographs for FREE. For those folks that would prefer a local auto, you have an option for one of 3 other players as your free auto (Pete Incaviglia, Darren Daulton or Von Hayes)

Sources & Links

Lou Brock HoF Index

2014 Playoff Cards

Phungo HoF Index
1968 Topps Baseball

Fanatic Authentics
Cardboard Connection
Baseball-ref

Updates
2017 0725 - Information on Lou Brock Puzzle added

Sunday Night Baseball: Don Sutton 1968 Topps #103

Once again this week the Dodgers are featured on Sunday Night Baseball. If you count the the Australia globe trek it makes this the 3rd time the Dodgers have been the focus of the MLBs young 2014 season. Tonight we take a look at Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton

1968 Topps #103 Don Sutton 

Every time I debut a Hall of Famer here I think why haven't we gotten around to this guy before.

Don Sutton's career spanned 23 years, 16 of which were spent with the Dodgers. He amassed a total fo  324 wins. Among players born since 1940 there are a grand total of 5 pitchers with 324+ Ws: Maddux, Clemens, Carlton, Nolan Ryan and Don Sutton. Despite this it took five election cycles for the BBWAA to put Sutton in the Hall of Fame. With the exception of Clemens the other four were all first ballot qualifiers with Lefty getting in at the lowest pct 95.6% - well above the requisite 75%.

The big differentiating factor for Sutton are:
1) Unlike the other four, He never won a World Series, or Cy Young Award. It should be noted that while Sutton didn't win a WS ring, he participated in four World Series including 3 with the Dodger    2) Sutton was often accused of scuffing the ball - but never suspended.

Brewers
With the Brew Crew coming into Philadelphia this week, I just wanted to note that one of the four clubs Sutton played for post-Dodgers was Milwaukee. He was part of the 1982 squad that won the American League pennant and took the Cardinals to 7 games in that years World Series.

Dodgers #20
Sutton left LA via free agency in 1980, after which several players wore #20, until 1997. The Dodgers officially retired Sutton's #20 on August 14 1998. 

Braves
Don Sutton has spent most of his post playing career in the Broadcast booth for the Atlanta Braves. This season he is the color commentary half of the radio team which is led by Jim Powell.

1968 Topps
For me this set ranks right at the bottom among vintage Topps offerings.  The dotted brown borders remind me of an old musty suitcase. That being said, I am fond of the Don Sutton card. So much so that he made the Paul Lynde square on my 68T HoF Page

Phun Phact
Topps first two Don Sutton solo cards both mention Sandy Koufax on the flip side. One in the text (1967) and one in the -toon (1968)

Sources
Don Sutton HoF Index
Baseball-Ref
ESPN
Los Angeles Dodgers
Atlanta Braves
Baseball Card Database