Hall of Fame Phillies pitcher, former US Senator, Crazy Jim Bunning dies at 85

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Hall of Fame Phillies pitcher, former U.S. Senator Jim Bunning dies at 85

he was mean & crazy!

He once struck out Ted Williams three times in one ball game!

 

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I still remember driving in the car to my grandmother's house on Father's Day 1964 with the ball game on the radio growing more and more interesting as Bunning had not allowed a baserunner all through the game. We got to Granny's house in time to watch the conclusion on TV as Bunning completed the rare feat of a perfect game. Later that evening we saw him make a walk-on appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. It was the first time a perfect game had been pitched since 1922.

(What happened at the end of that baseball season is something we'd rather forget but that wasn't Bunning's fault).

He had an extreme delivery that came almost sidearm and would send him flying off to the right side of the diamond, on every pitch. He would nearly throw himself to the ground. It's kind of fitting that his motion sent him careening to the right, considering his later politics. He wore number 14, which the Phillies retired years ago, and appeared regularly when the team had honor/legacy events.

With his previous team in Detroit in the 1950s, Bunning was an outspoken advocate for players' interests, which may have contributed to his being traded, but he stood up for the little guy, at least then.

Rest in peace Jim Bunning, and thanks for the memories.