A Short Note

Jim Bouton

I hope you'll forgive me if I keep things brief tonight.

I didn't get home until 1:30 this morning and didn't go to sleep until well after 2:00 a.m. Sometimes things catch up with me.

And here I am.

Thanks for visiting last night's post. I worked hard on that while sitting in a parking lot in Shelton with so-so cell internet and a MacBook that I'm often surprised still works.

So I appreciate you choosing to fly Exit 55 Airlines.

I filled in for Lisa Wexler again today. I know I can handle that every day, with just a bit more prep work. But Paul Silverfarb, Mike Hirn, and Chris Kaelin each called to help make 3-6 p.m. (Doubleheader included) roll by.

If you didn't know, I was given my own two-hour talk show roughly 17 years ago on WGCH. A newspaper was always enough for me to opine on. It was a great time in which I did several shows, plus games.

It all changed when ownership did. Literally all cut out from under me. Such is the nature of the business.

Jim Bouton has died at the age of 80. A fascinating guy who wrote a groundbreaking book, Ball Four. If you've never read it, well you should. You'll discover our heroes were quite flawed, including the great Mickey Mantle.

Somehow, I imagine Mantle is giving Bouton a rough time at the Yankees Saloon, but all in good fun at this point.

Bouton's best year was 1963, when he went 21-7 with a 2.53 ERA. He went seven innings in Game 3 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium, losing 1-0 to Don Drysdale. He allowed four hits, including a Tommy Davis first-inning single that plated the lone run.

Bouton encountered arm troubles that led to his departure from The Bronx after the 1968 season. He moved to the Seattle Pilots for their lone campaign in 1969. He went to Houston later in '69 and retired after the Astros sent him to the minors in 1970.

But he wasn't done. Bouton was a fascinating guy who then tried his hand at broadcasting, including as a sports anchor on WABC and WCBS-TV. He also acted, including five episodes as the lead in the show based on Ball Four.

Bouton would try a comeback, pitching for the Portland Mavericks though parts of the 1970s before returning to the big leagues with the Braves in 1978. He retired for good after that but served as one of the inventors of Big League Chew, the bubblegum that was supposed act as chewing tobacco for those of us who would never chew.

Jim Bouton was one of a kind.

This note wasn't that short after all. I'll see you tomorrow.