I
guess it’s about time I go ahead and create a fantasy 1979 card for
former pitcher (and author) Jim Bouton, who made a remarkable Major
League comeback after an eight-year hiatus, pitching for the Atlanta
Braves in 1978, a short-lived comeback, but still an accomplishment:
Sadly the only image I could really find and use is one used often, so
my creation here isn’t exactly the most “unique” specimen.
Once a young stud with the New York Yankees in the early 1960’s, posting
a 21-win season at the age of 24, followed by an 18-win campaign the
next season, he soon developed arm trouble and found himself out of
baseball in 1970 at the young age of 31 after a season and a half with
the Houston Astros.
Fast-forward eight years to 1978, most notably after writing the now
legendary baseball book “Ball Four”, and Bouton made it all the way back
as a 39-year old knuckleball pitcher, appearing in five games, all
starts, going 1-3 with a 4.97 earned run average in 29 innings of work.
Though the comeback was short, it was definitely sweet as I remember it
really brought Bouton back into the spotlight, giving his book new life,
just enough for a ten year old kid from Brooklyn a cool book to read
from the library!