Catfish Hunter
James Augustus "Jim" Hunter ( born April 8, 1946 in Hertford, North Carolina, † September 9, 1999 ) was an American baseball player in Major League Baseball. He was known as Catfish Hunter.
Biography
The pitcher Hunter began his career with the Kansas City Athletics in 1965, whose owner Charles O ' Finley he got his nickname. In his high school Hunter had already thrown five no-hitter, but nearly by a hunting accident in which he drew upon a foot injury, came to his baseball career. After surgery, he had to cancel the 1964 season and could only give a year later made his professional debut. In 1966 he was appointed to the All-Star team but did not play. This should take place a year later. In five innings he allowed just one point, but lost the game. On 8 May 1968, he threw in the game against the Minnesota Twins a Perfect Game, the first in the regular season in the American League since Charlie Robertson in 1922. Don Larsen threw his Perfect Game 1956 in the World Series.
From 1972 to 1974, he won three World Series with Oakland. After the season 1974 Hunter was one of the first free agents in baseball. Chuck O'Finley not paid the agreed $ 50,000 in Hunter's life insurance policy, an arbitration court declared on the contract invalid and Hunter could be looking for a new club. He signed with the New York Yankees for a salary of $ 3.5 million, the largest ever total for a baseball player. Even with the Yankees, he reached the World Series three times, with two wins and one loss was the result. With difficulties in his right throwing arm, he had to end his career in 1979.
Then he supported the Yankees still in Spring Training, but lived mainly on his farm in North Carolina. In the Baseball Hall of Fame, he was elected in 1987. As Lou Gehrig, he contracted ALS. In a fall, he injured his head and died at the age of 53 years on September 9, 1999.
Bob Dylan's song is about Catfish Hunter and was released on his LP Stingray 1976 by Joe Cocker. Bob Dylan had the song recorded in 1975 but not published until 1991.