March 8, BALL FOUR
Jim Bouton was born on March 8, 1939 best known for his transformation from a fastballer to a knuckleballer and for writing Ball Four, one of the most influential baseball books ever published.
After signing out of Western Michigan University, Bouton joined the New York Yankees in 1962. He had immediate success, winning 21 games in 1963 and 18 in 1964 while excelling in the World Series both years. However, arm issues diminished his fastball by the mid-1960s, and he reinvented himself as a knuckleball pitcher. He resurfaced in 1969 with the Seattle Pilots and later the Houston Astros before retiring. In 1978, he made a brief comeback with the Atlanta Braves at age 39, pitching surprisingly well in five starts.
Bouton’s Ball Four, published in 1970, was a groundbreaking, behind-the-scenes account of baseball life. Written as a diary of his 1969 season, it revealed players’ use of amphetamines, womanizing, and the economic exploitation of players by owners. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to pressure Bouton into recanting, but he refused. The book enraged baseball’s establishment but became a bestseller, widely credited with changing how athletes and sports were covered.
Bouton followed with I’m Glad You Didn’t Take It Personally in 1971 and wrote several other books. He also worked as a sportscaster, acted in The Long Goodbye, and co-invented Big League Chew gum. Though baseball largely ostracized him for decades, the Yankees welcomed him back for Old-Timers’ Day in 1998 after a plea from his son.
Listen to Jim talk about Ball Four and his career!
