Jimmy Piersall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jimmy Piersall |
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Piersall in 1953.
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: November 14, 1929 Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| Died: June 3, 2017 (aged 87) Wheaton, Illinois, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 7, 1950, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 1, 1967, for the California Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .272 | ||
| Home runs | 104 | ||
| Runs batted in | 591 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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James Anthony Piersall (November 14, 1929 – June 3, 2017) was an American baseball player. He was a center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for five different teams from 1950 to 1967. Piersall was well-known for his unique personality and for openly discussing his mental health challenges. His story was even made into a book and a movie called Fear Strikes Out.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
Jimmy Piersall grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut. He was a talented athlete from a young age. In 1947, he led his high school basketball team to win the New England championship. He scored 29 points in the final game.
Joining the Red Sox
Piersall became a professional baseball player when he was 18. He signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox in 1948. By 1950, he made it to Major League Baseball. He was one of the youngest players in the league at that time.
In 1952, he started playing a bigger role for the Red Sox. He sometimes called himself "the Waterbury Wizard." This nickname wasn't very popular with his teammates. On June 10, 1953, he set a Red Sox record. He got six hits in a single nine-inning game. He became known as one of the best defensive outfielders. He often led the league in how well he fielded the ball.
A Unique Personality
Jimmy Piersall was known for his lively and sometimes unusual behavior on the field. These actions often made headlines.
On-Field Antics
Once, he came to bat wearing a Beatles wig. He even pretended to play a guitar with his bat. In the outfield, he would sometimes cheer for himself during breaks in the game. He also joked about "talking" to baseball legend Babe Ruth at Yankee Stadium.
Piersall once said that his unique personality helped him become famous. He believed it made more people interested in him.
Early Challenges
In 1952, Piersall had some disagreements with other players. He was sent to a minor league team, the Birmingham Barons. While with the Barons, he was removed from games several times. He returned to the Red Sox in 1953. That year, he finished ninth in the voting for the MVP Award.
All-Star Years and Trades
Piersall was chosen for the American League All-Star team twice. He made the team in 1954 and again in 1956.
Peak Performance
By the end of the 1956 season, he had played in all 156 games. He led the league with 40 doubles. He also scored 91 runs and had 87 RBIs. His batting average was .293. The next year, he hit 19 home runs and scored 103 runs. He won his first Gold Glove Award in 1958. This award recognizes the best defensive players.
Moving Teams
On December 2, 1958, Piersall was traded to the Cleveland Indians. He was traded for first baseman Vic Wertz and outfielder Gary Geiger. He even reunited with Billy Martin, a player he had argued with earlier in his career.
In 1960, Piersall continued his lively behavior. He was removed from a game for arguing with an umpire. After catching the final out of another game, he threw the ball at the White Sox' scoreboard. He also wore a little league helmet during one of his turns at bat. After several incidents, he was ordered to get help for his behavior.
Piersall returned in 1961 and had a great season. He earned his second Gold Glove award. He also finished third in the batting race with a .322 average. Even with his success, he still had some intense reactions. He once charged the pitcher's mound after being hit by a pitch. He also threw his helmet, which led to fines.
Despite these moments, Piersall earned a bonus for his improved behavior. On October 5, he was traded to the Washington Senators. Then, on May 23, 1963, he was sent to the New York Mets.
The Backward Home Run
While playing for the Mets, Piersall hit the 100th home run of his career. This happened on June 23, 1963. After hitting the ball, he ran around the bases in the correct order, but he was facing backwards the whole time!
One month later, Piersall left the Mets. He then joined the Los Angeles Angels on July 28. He finished his playing career with the Angels. He played for almost four more years. In his 17-season career, Piersall had a .272 batting average. He hit 104 home runs and had 591 RBIs in 1,734 games.
Life After Baseball
After retiring from playing, Jimmy Piersall stayed involved in baseball. He also shared his life story.
Books and Broadcasting
In 1955, his book Fear Strikes Out was published. He wrote it with Al Hirshberg. This book was later made into a movie in 1957. In the movie, Anthony Perkins played Piersall. Piersall later said he didn't like the movie because he felt it didn't tell his story accurately. Many years later, he wrote another book called The Truth Hurts.
Piersall also worked as a baseball announcer. He worked for the Oakland A's in 1972. Then he joined the Texas Rangers in 1974. From 1977 to 1981, he was an announcer for the Chicago White Sox. He was known for being very honest, sometimes criticizing the team's management.
Later Career and Recognition
In 1986, Dallas Green, who was a pitcher when Piersall hit his famous backward home run, hired Piersall. Piersall became a coach for minor league outfielders for the Chicago Cubs. He worked in this role until 1999.
For 14 years, from 1992 to 2006, Piersall was also a baseball analyst. He worked for WSCR radio, a sports talk station in Chicago.
On September 17, 2010, Jimmy Piersall was honored. He was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
Television Appearances
Piersall also made a few appearances on television shows.
He was a mystery guest on the TV show What's My Line? on April 28, 1957. A guest panelist correctly guessed who he was.
Piersall also appeared as himself on The Lucy Show. This episode aired on September 13, 1965. In the show, Lucy and her son meet Jimmy at Marineland.
Personal Life
Jimmy Piersall was married three times. He had nine children with his first wife, Mary. They divorced in 1968. He later married his third wife, Jan, in 1982. He lived in Wheaton, Illinois with Jan until he passed away. He was a Roman Catholic.
Jimmy Piersall died in Wheaton, Illinois on June 3, 2017. He was 87 years old.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
