Date of Birth: March 8, 1939
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Date of Death: July 10, 2019
Biography
Jim Bouton was an American professional baseball player, author, and actor, best known for his career as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) and for his controversial, best-selling book “Ball Four.” Born in Newark, New Jersey, Bouton showed early promise as a baseball player and attended Bloom High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois, where he played baseball and basketball. He later attended Western Michigan University. Bouton made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in 1962. Known for his distinct delivery and competitive spirit, he quickly became a standout pitcher. In 1963, he won 21 games and was selected as an All-Star. Bouton also played for the Seattle Pilots, Houston Astros, and Atlanta Braves during his career. His book “Ball Four,” published in 1970, offered a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the lives of baseball players, which was unprecedented at the time. The book was both celebrated and criticized for its honesty and has since become a classic in sports literature. After retiring from baseball, Bouton pursued a career in acting and broadcasting and remained a vocal advocate for player rights. He also co-invented Big League Chew, a shredded bubble gum resembling chewing tobacco, which became popular among young baseball fans.
5 Interesting Facts about Jim Bouton
1. Jim Bouton was an All-Star pitcher in 1963 and won 21 games for the New York Yankees that season.
2. His book “Ball Four” was named one of the “Books of the Century” by the New York Public Library.
3. Bouton took an eight-year hiatus from MLB before making a comeback with the Atlanta Braves in 1978.
4. He co-invented Big League Chew, a bubble gum designed to resemble chewing tobacco, which became a hit among young baseball fans.
5. Bouton was also known for his acting career, having appeared in the television series “Ball Four” and the movie “The Long Goodbye.”
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Jim Bouton
1. “You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time.”
2. “Ball Four is not just a book, it’s a way of life.”
3. “I’m a guy who just wanted to see his name in the paper.”
4. “Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?”
5. “You have to remember that I was a kid in the 1960s. There was no such thing as political correctness.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Jim Bouton’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $5 million.
Children
Jim Bouton had four children: Michael, Laurie, David, and Eric. His son Michael tragically died in a car accident in 1994.
Relevant Links
1. [Jim Bouton – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bouton
2. [Baseball-Reference – Jim Bouton](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/boutoji01.shtml
3. [New York Times Obituary](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/sports/baseball/jim-bouton-dead.html