Jim Bouton

Jim Bouton was an American professional baseball pitcher, actor, and best-selling author. A five-time All-Star, he made an indelible mark on Major League Baseball (MLB) in the 1960s and ‘70s with his innovative pitch, hallmark competitiveness, and willingness to appear in films, books, and on television.

Bouton was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1939 and raised in Rochelle Park, New Jersey. After briefly playing with the Oakland A's minor league affiliates, Bouton made his major league debut in 1962 with the New York Yankees and helped the team win the World Series in his second year. He quickly gained notoriety for his fast ball and unconventional “butterfly” windup coming off the pitching mound, along with his characterization of Yogi Berra in the popular television show “The Odd Couple”.

In 1965, Bouton authored the influential book Ball Four, a tell-all book outlining his experiences in the major leagues. Ball Four was the first book of its kind, and provoked a great deal of controversy in and out of the locker room. In the book, Bouton shared anecdotes of victories, defeats, and, most controversially, all kinds of locker room talk and behavior. He wrote openly and candidly about unfair trading and contract issues as well as players' drinking habits, drug use, and infidelities. His criticisms of specific players, teams, and the sport overall were considered too blunt for some readers.

Despite the backlash, Ball Four was widely praised for its honesty and sense of humor, and is still remembered among the greatest sports books of all time. Bouton was enshrined in the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine of the Eternals in 1999 and later inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame in 2000.

Despite losing his fastball in 1976, Bouton never stopped playing baseball. He took on several minor league coaching positions with different teams and even returned to pitching for independent teams in his late forties. He tried out for the 1995 Texas Rangers but ended up a coach instead.

In his later years, Bouton wrote two autobiographical books: Foul Ball: My Life and Hard Times Trying to Save an Old Ballpark and I’m Glad You Didn’t Take It Personally, the latter a reflection on racism, among other issues. To this day, his legacy lives on in the game of baseball. He impacted generations of players and coaches, literally and figuratively, who emulate his honesty and butterfly pitch. He was also a strong advocate of independent baseball who, despite not finding success in the majors, refused to give up the game he loved.

Jim Bouton, who passed away in 2019, will be remembered for his remarkable career not only as a pitcher but also as a respected author. Whether in the bullpen or in the locker room, Bouton showed the world that all stories are worth telling—even if they may not be popular at first. His legacy will live on for generations to come.