Jim Bouton Ball Four

• March 8, 1939 in Newark, NJ Pitcher, author, philosopher, and pundit, March 8, 1939 in Newark, NJ Pitcher, author, philosopher, and pundit, Jim Bouton bore little resemblance to the vast majority of players who performed in the major leagues before he joined the New York Yankees in 1962. One of the new breed of ballplayers that began entering the game during the 1960s, Bouton was not as hardened or rough around the edges as most of the players who preceded him. An intellectual at heart, Bouton preferred to discuss politics or journalism, rather than spend much of his free time hunting or chasing women. Bouton's cerebral nature endeared him to the New York media, with whom he shared an amicable relationship during his seven years in the big city. However, it also alienated him somewhat from many of his teammates, who resented the inordinate amount of time he devoted to conversing with the members of the press corps. Nevertheless, Bouton's teammates rarely expressed their dissatisfaction with him early in his career, when the righthander was one of the American League's finest pitchers
• bore little resemblance to the vast majority of players who performed in the major leagues before he joined the New York Yankees in 1962. One of the new breed of ballplayers that began entering the game during the 1960s, Bouton was not as hardened or rough around the edges as most of the players who preceded him. An intellectual at heart, Bouton preferred to discuss politics or journalism, rather than spend much of his free time hunting or chasing women. Bouton's cerebral nature endeared him to the New York media, with whom he shared an amicable relationship during his seven years in the big city. However, it also alienated him somewhat from many of his teammates, who resented the inordinate amount of time he devoted to conversing with the members of the press corps. Nevertheless, Bouton's teammates rarely expressed their dissatisfaction with him early in his career, when the righthander was one of the American League's finest pitchers

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