Jim Bouton
Jim Bouton (James Alan Bouton) was born on March 8th, 1939. Jim passed away July 10th, 2019 at 80 years old. Jim Bouton was born in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Bouton attended Western Michigan University.
Jim Bouton is a former professional baseball player. He played from 1962 until 1978 for the Houston Astros, the Seattle Pilots, and the Atlanta Braves. He was an author, activist, actor, sportscaster, and a creator of Big League Chew.
Jim was a member of the Yankees the year that they won the 1962 World Series, and made an appearance at the 1963 MLB All-Star Game. He also won both of his starts in the 1964 World Series. In his 3 World Series starts, he was 2-1 and had an ERA of 1.48.
His frequent usage by the Yankees from 1962, 1963, and 1964 is probably what caused his subsequent arm issues - having started 37 games before starting in the 1964 World Series.
An arm injury in 1965 slowed his fastball and would put an end to his pitching phenomenon status. He was relegated to bullpen status mostly, and he started to throw the knuckleball again. In 12 appearances, he was 1-1 when his contract got sold to the Pilots before they’d even played a game.
During his time with the Pilots, he was a bullpen pitcher. At Fenway Park he threw 3 innings of hitless relief without a run being allowed. The Pilots put up 6 in the top of the 11th to earn him the win. Over 57 appearances with Seattle, he compiled a 2-1 record (both wins were against the Red Sox) and an ERA of 3.91.
Ball Four is a combination memoir of his time with the Astros, Pilots, and Yankees and diary of his 1969 season.
When the book was first published in 1970, it hit the sports world just like a lightning bolt. Executives, players, and commissioners were all shocked. Sportswriters called him a social leper and traitor. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn attempted to force Jim into saying that the book was just untrue.
But fans loved the book. And serious critics referred to it as being an important social document. After his death in 2019, this landmark book is still popular, and his legacy still lives on through its numerous readers, including those people that do not typically follow baseball.
For the book, he was approached by Leonard Shecter (a sportswriter) who’d befriended Jim during his time as a Yankee, and approached him with the idea of penning a season long diary. Jim had taken a few notes during the ‘68 season with a similar goal in mind.
Jim Bouton: Lists & Other Mentions
- Ball Four was a Sports Illustrated: The Top 100 Sports Books of All Time Selection in 2002.
Related Authors
Fans of Jim Bouton also enjoy these authors:
- Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
- Harlan Coben, author of the Myron Bolitar Series.
- James Patterson, author of the Alex Cross Series.
- Stieg Larsson, author of the Millennium Series.
- Lisa Jewell, author of The Family Upstairs Series.
Jim Bouton: F.A.Q
When was Jim Bouton Born?
Jim Bouton was born on March 8th, 1939.
When did Jim Bouton die?
Jim Bouton died on July 10th, 2019 at 80 years old.
Where was Jim Bouton Born?
Jim Bouton was born in Newark, New Jersey, USA.
What was the first book Jim Bouton wrote?
The first book written by Jim Bouton was Ball Four: My Life and Hard Times Throwing the Knuckleball In the Big Leagues, published in 1970.
What was the most recent book Jim Bouton wrote?
His most recently released work was Ball Four: The Final Pitch on December 22nd, 2020.
What is the most popular book by Jim Bouton?
Based on the number of readers on Book Notification, the most popular Jim Bouton book is
Ball Four. Here are his most popular books:
- Ball Four (7.33)
- Ball Four, Plus Ball Five: An Update, 1970-1980 (8)
How many books has Jim Bouton written?
Jim Bouton has written 8 books excluding contributions to anthologies. 1 Standalone Novel, 7 Non-Fiction Books.