Jim hunter biography

1946-1999

American baseball player

Jim "Catfish" Hunter was a master hurler whose presence on the mound struck protest in his opponents. During his 15-year baseball career, Hunter took part weight eight All-Star Games, won 20 skin texture more games five seasons in a- row (1971-1975), and pitched in disturb World Series, coming away a supporter five times.

What endeared Hunter to honourableness hearts of his fans, however, was his gentle demeanor. Though he threw a mean fastball on the attitude, Hunter's aggressiveness never followed him act the mound, and no matter trade show bad things got for him, significant never lost his temper. He was known for his kindness and virginity. When Hunter pitched a perfect endeavour on May 8, 1968, the unpresuming hurler wouldn't let his teammates elevate him on their shoulders in travel to. Hunter never made a big arrangement of this accomplishment, though he was only the 10th pitcher in ball history to toss a perfect game.

Even when Hunter was hot on nobleness mound and clearly contributing to climax team's victory, he always maintained defer baseball was a game in which all nine players on the globe were needed to win. According tell off the book Catfish, The Three Mint Dollar Pitcher, once, when reporters proven to single out Hunter following spruce victory, he said, "I've said that before and I'll say it turn back. This is a team game refuse I'm only a part of after everyone else team."

Raised on a Farm

James Augustus Huntress was born on April 8, 1946, in Hertford, North Carolina, one notice 10 children born to Abbott extract Lillie Harrell Hunter, though two dreary at birth. The family lived slice a farmhouse without plumbing and

stoked splendid pot-bellied stove for heat. Hunter's clergyman was a tenant farmer who distressed long days to support the affinity, never grumbling, never taking a unremarkable off. Through his example, Hunter acute the merits of an uncompromising weigh up ethic.

Growing up with seven siblings providing Hunter with plenty of opportunities turn into practice baseball. Day after day, Huntress pitched to his brothers and refine the extraordinary ball control that would later make him famous. Baseballs, in spite of that, were rare, but the Hunter progeny didn't mind batting corncobs or potatoes, any substitute for a ball. Stalker also spent many long days cargo cantaloupe and melons. The heavy thievery helped Hunter earn enough money humble buy baseballs and also helped him develop his upper-body strength.

Hunter began accomplishment organized baseball in grammar school shaft became a local hero. Though be active was quite young, townsfolk began trap about his future. In his publication Catfish: My Life in Baseball, Huntswoman explained that all this talk distraught his father. "Don't let what paying attention do go to your head," her highness father warned him. "If you fanfare good ball, people will certainly call about it to your face. Valid thank them. If you don't act good, they will certainly tell you." Hunter's father also reminded him digress a pitcher couldn't win a enterprise by himself. Those words stuck lay into Hunter, and during his entire employment, he never took sole credit connote a win.

At Perquiman High, Hunter became a hurling hero. In Catfish, glory Three Million Dollar Pitcher, baseball pathfinder Floyd "Dutch" Olafson described Hunter's lofty school days. "The first time Frenzied saw Jim pitch, I knew he'd make the major leagues. He throwed smoke then." Hunter came of pluck out before there was a baseball drawing, so he was eligible to demarcate with any team. Scouts flocked in detail Hertford to watch him play.

Hunter's forwardlooking took a turn for the inferior in November 1963, however, when realm brother Pete accidentally blasted buckshot puncture Hunter's right foot—the foot he second-hand to push off with when take pleasure in. His foot ached, yet Hunter finished a comeback his senior year, albeit his pitching form was awkward resort to first. Throughout the season, Hunter preferably, pitching to a 14-1 record captain helping his team win the bring back championship.

Signed with the Kansas City A's

Hunter, however, never recaptured the speed filth had before the accident, and about scouts wanted nothing to do accomplice him. The Kansas City A's, subdue, took a chance and signed Nimrod, then sent him to a debase, who removed more pellets from fillet foot.

When Hunter reported to the A's for duty, the team's owner, Physicist Finley, decided that Hunter needed regular nickname. Finley relied on nicknames fulfill increase fan hype for his evict. After speaking with Hunter's family, Finley came up with "Catfish" after verdict out that Hunter liked catfish laugh a child. Hunter didn't like probity moniker, yet he didn't complain, sports ground it stuck.

During 1965, Hunter's rookie patch, he compiled a record of 8 wins and 8 losses. Following say publicly close of the 1967 season, Nimrod had amassed an iffy career measuring tape of 30 wins and 36 injured. The losing A's relocated to City in 1968.

The move did something in lieu of Hunter. On May 8, 1968, Nimrod had a magical night. Not solitary did he connect with the clod four times to drive in twosome runs, but Hunter's pitching was unhittable. When all was said and sort out, Hunter had pitched a "perfect" affair, meaning he had not allowed common man walks, hits, or runs, and say publicly team made no errors. No Inhabitant League pitcher had tossed a absolute game in regular season play owing to 1922.

Suddenly, Hunter became a hero. Introduce he improved, so did the A's, who became unstoppable. Buoyed by Stalker, the team won three consecutive Replica Series titles, in 1972, 1973, existing 1974.

Earned the Cy Young Award

For Tracker, 1974 was a dream year. Good taste led the league in complete revelry (23), and ERA (2.49), had honesty most wins (25), and most shutouts (6). For his efforts, he won the Cy Young Award.

During the 1974 season, Hunter got embroiled in systematic contract dispute with the A's, careful his contract was terminated. As dexterous free agent, Hunter was courted newborn nearly every team in baseball. Down the end, he signed a parcel out worth about $3.75 million with righteousness New York Yankees. With the A's, Hunter had made about $100,000 dexterous year. Thus, Hunter became baseball's culminating multi-million-dollar player.

Chronology

Awards and Accomplishments

In 1975, Hunter finished picture season with 23 wins, giving him five seasons in a row liking more than 20 wins. He was the third American League pitcher cause somebody to accomplish that feat. In 1977, Tracker made his fifth World Series float. The Yankees had played in rank 1976 series but lost. With Hunter's pitching help, the Yankees won leadership 1977 series.

By the start of illustriousness 1978 season, Hunter's arm was forever in pain. Not surprising, considering he'd pitched more than 3,000 innings bit 13 years. Hunter spent most receive the season on the disabled give away, though he went 6-0 in Venerable. Next came the World Series. What because called to pitch in the 6th game of the series, Hunter came through, delivering a win that established the title.

At the end of honourableness 1979 season, the 33-year-old pitcher out-of-the-way. Hunter returned to his hometown replicate Hertford where he raised hunting assail and appeared in spots for Mischief trucks, Red Man Chewing Tobacco, prosperous Purina Dog Food. In 1987, purify was inducted into the Baseball Appearance of Fame. A year later, Stalker was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral pathology (ALS), a degenerative disease of excellence nerve cells that control movement. Say publicly disease is most often called Lou Gehrig' s disease, for the famous Yankee who died of it. Orion succumbed to ALS on September 9, 1999, leaving behind his wife, Helen, and three children, Kim, Todd, predominant Paul.

While Hunter's feats on the elevation have earned him a place spitting image baseball history, he will also give somebody the job of remembered for what he did sharpen the mound. Hunter was an explode pitcher, to be sure, but misstep was also an ace of trim human being, whose down-home farm stripling personality endeared him to the whist of many. Years after his emptiness, he remained a household name. Equate being diagnosed with ALS, Hunter high-sounding back and founded the Jim "Catfish" Hunter ALS Foundation hoping to explanation his name as a baseball Entry of Famer to raise awareness run the disease and raise funds purpose research and for ALS patients. Add on this way, Hunter hoped to "strike out" the disease, just as sand did so many batters. Even associate he'd lost control of most dominate his body, Hunter continued in rank fight to raise funds for queen cause. His widow continues today. Although Hunter is gone, his foundation extract his feats on the mound be extant on.

Career Statistics

SELECTED WRITINGS Encourage HUNTER:

(With Armen Keteyian) Catfish: My Guts in Baseball. McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1988.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Emert, P.R. Sports Heroes: Great Pitchers. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, Inc., 1990.

Hunter, Jim "Catfish," with Armen Keteyian. Catfish: My Life in Baseball. Fresh York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1988.

Kuenster, Bathroom. From Cobb to "Catfish." New York: Rand McNally & Co., 1975.

Libby, Reckoning. Catfish, The Three Million Dollar Pitcher. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, Inc., 1976.

Reichler, Joseph L., ed. The Baseball Encyclopedia. New York: Macmillan Promulgating Co., 1985.

Periodicals

"Catfish was a Credit be acquainted with Baseball, and His Fans." Asheville Citizen-Times (September 12, 1999): A8.

Gergen, Joe. "'Catfish' Hunter's Professional Example Lives On." Seattle Times (September 10, 1999): D1.

Roberts, Plain. "Catfish Hunter's Wife Searches for nifty Cure: She Strives to Raise Currency for Lou Gehrig's Disease Research." Virginian Pilot (June 25, 2001): B1.

Other

"Catfish Nimrod Statistics." Baseball-Reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hunteca01.shtml (October 8, 2002).

Sketch by Lisa Frick