Pitcher Author Jim Bouton Dies

Jim Bouton,  who pitched for the Seattle Pilots in the area's first go round with  Major League Baseball, then rocked the sports world with his tell all book, Ball Four, has died.  

Bouton began his career as a hard throwing right hander with the New York Yankees.  He pitched in 2 World Series with the team.  

After injuring his arm, Bouton made a comeback as a knuckleball pitcher.  He was picked by the expansion Seattle Pilots in 1969.  He took notes at the time and was able to publish Ball Four. A hilarious look at baseball players doing what they do off the field.  

The book seems relatively tame these days, especially after years of steroid scandals in the sport. 

Bouton would later pitch for the Portland Mavericks, an independent team in the Northwest League. Although, unlike Seattle, it was not Major Leagues, it was another Pacific Northwest baseball team with an interesting cast of characters.