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

ANNIVERSARY: 50 Years ago a strike ended!

But nobody knew about it.

 The only person on strike was Jim Bouton.

"Ball Four" - Jim Bouton pg 12

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the season Bouton chronicled in his iconic book "Ball Four". There is a preamble from the previous November prior to the excerpt above, however,  The day that Jim Bouton reported to spring training was February 26th.

I bring this up now as a heads up to anyone who wishes to follow along with the 50th anniversary of the book - It is time to crack open "Ball Four" and start enjoying the inaugural and only season of the Seattle Pilots.

As far as the strike, Bouton discusses on the following page how a younger player on the Pilots roster was holding out on going to spring training. Jim Bouton staged a personal strike as a show of support. The younger player turned out to be Lou Piniella

Links and Sources
Jim Bouton Index

Sunday Night Baseball: 1965 Topps #137 Bouton Wins Again

It would not be a stretch to say that I learned math from the back of baseball cards, nor would it be any further from the truth say that Jim Bouton taught me how to read.

Tonight the Yankees are visiting the Cubs on Sunday Night baseball, while this week the Phillies will host a rare series with the Mariners.

The player I have chosen to tie together these two series is Bouton.

1965 Topps #137 Bouton Wins Again

Bouton is remembered for two careers. The first was as a baseball player in the New York Yankees organization. His other career was as an author while employed by Seattle's first MLB tenant the Pilots.

1964 Yankees

The card above is from an eight card subset (#132-#139) in 1965 topps. Each of the first seven cards in the set represents a game in the series. Card #137 above speaks to game 6 which the Yankees won 8-3 behind Jim Bouton's strong pitching and a trio of Home Runs by Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle and Joe Pepitone.

Flip

1965 Topps #137 Bouton Wins Again (b-side)

The B-side gives a detailed box score which includes fielding stats but ignores RBIs (early SABRmaticians no doubt). In addition to the box the card text provides a concise synopsis of the games events.

After 1964 Game 6 the Yankees would not win another World Series game until 1977.


Ball Four
Jim Bouton is going to one of the guest speakers at this years SABR convention in New York City. In Preparation for the event I have just begun reading "Ball Four" for what I believe is the 3rd time. I first encountered the book when I was in my early teens. I re-read the book as an adult, probably in my 30s and now approaching my milestone 50th birthday I am giving the work a third pass.

I will always enjoy the anti-establishment humor of "Ball Four" and am looking forward to this reading.

I anticipate this will be my most enjoyable session with the book. Through my rediscovery of baseball cards I have become more familiar with the players and stories from the "Ball Four" era, hopefully this re-read will generate some fun posts.

May 7 1969
In his entry for May 7th Jim Bouton mentions a disagreement he had with manager Joe Schultz over his role on the team. Schultz (as well as pitching coach Sal Maglie) wants Bouton to mix in more fastballs and curves with his knuckler. Bouton counters that Phil Niekro throws mostly knuckleballs. The ensuing argument devolves into a petty negotiation over Niekro's pitch selection. 

That day Seattle lost 5-4 to Boston in a game that did not involve Bouton. Red Sox Shortstop Rico Petrocelli had a Home Run for the victors.  

not so Phun Phact
The pitcher who lost to Bouton in game 6 of the 1964 World Series was former Phillies southpaw Curt Simmons

Jim Bouton Index
1964 Topps (Fred C Harris)
1991 SI Greats of the Game Autograph
Seattle Pilots 40th Anniversary Reunion (2009)
50th anniversary of Ball Four (2019)

Sources and Links
Game Dated Cards
VittlesWords
Cardboard Connection
baseball-ref

In Memoriam: Mike Hegan 1970 Topps #111

Today I awoke to the sad news that Mike Hegan died.

1970 Topps #111 Mike Hegan

This is one of two cards of Mike Hegan as a Pilot. He is also listed with Seattle on a capless 1969T card. This is also the only one of  Mike Hegan's ten solo Topps cards where he is listed strictly as an outfielder. On his remaining base cards he is listed as a first baseman or 1B-OF.

When this card was issued in 1970 Hegan was coming off of his only All-Star season. He batted .292 with a .427 OBP. Had Hegan had enough AB to qualify he would have finished 2nd to Harmon Killebrew by only fractions of a point for the OBP lead.  In 1972 Hegan collected a World Series ring as a member of the Oakland A's. 

Mike Hegan was a second generation player, His father Jim Hegan played for the Cleveland Indians during the 1940s and 50s making several all-star teams. The senior Hegan spent part of the 1959 season with the Phillies.

Sources
Baseball-ref.com
Baseball Card Database 

Seattle Pilots Reunion

1970 Topps #111 Mike Hegan
1969 Topps #17 Mike Marshall

A few weeks back the Seattle Mariners marked the 40th anniversary of the Seattle Pilots sole major league season in the Pacific Northwest by hosting a reunion of the 1969 team. The 69 Seattle Pilots may have only played one season but Jim Bouton's chronicle of the team, "Ball Four", has made them part of Baseball Immortality. Bouton was on MLB network recently and I briefly mentioned the event a few weeks ago.

Oddly the Pilots while only having played one season are actually part of two Topps releases 1969 and 1970. According to Wikipedia the Pilots didn't move to Milwaukee until late in spring training of 1970, thus the 70 Topps Pilots cards.

It has been a few years since I have read "Ball Four" but as I remember Mike Marshall was a pretty prominent character. I think I remember Mike Hegan from the book, but I am not positive, I think he was the guy involved in a shouting match with a fan while boarding the team bus.

By September 8th of 69 Bouton had been traded from Seattle to the Houston Astros. On the 9/8 entry Bouton discusses the hammering of opposing pitcher Mike Corkins in his Major League debut, San Diego Padre Nate Colbert, and the ridiculous price of room service (3.06 for a strawberry sundae - for the wife , and 3 scoops of chocolate for Jim)

Sources and Links
Jim Bouton Index