I used to e-mail Jim on his website and he always answered me and was a class person. We both agreed that Marvin Miller should be in the HOF and said watch they'll wait until he's dead and that is what happened. The same with Alex Karras. Sad and RIP Jim!
Came here bc I found a baseball in a plastic case at a flea market, in a bin of junk, for a dollar. Turns out it’s signed by Bouton. It’s been fun learning about him. Seems like a wild dude. I’m not a big baseball guy, but I think I may keep this find for it’s strange history.
My uncle was the ball boy for the Mavericks and said he was a hell of a guy and always looked up to him. Was every bit as charismatic and friendly as he seems.
The 2 best baseball books I've ever read were 'The Boys of Summer' by Roger Kahn, and 'Ball Four' by Jim Bouton, the latter being perhaps the most influential sports book ever written. Hated by some of the players and the baseball commissioner, and reviled by the sportwriters who perpetuated the 'milk and cookies' image of players, it told the truth about major league players, coaches and the baseball establishment in a way that was both funny and illuminating. I still read it 50 years later. RIP Jim Bouton 1939-2019.
@@michaelroberts7374 Great. One of THE best sports books ever written. The book came out in 1972, with Kahn tracking down and visiting with some of the aged Brooklyn Dodger players - the 'Boys of Summer' as they were called - that he had covered as a beat writer for the New York Herald Tribune in the early-mid 1950's.
@@jamesanthony5681 I moved fast to get a copy. It arrived today. ALL the best sports books reach out beyond the parameters of their particular field, making profound observations about life. Can't wait to get wired into it, thanks James
I was young at the time, but I was a big baseball fan and excited about the show. I wish they hadn't canned it so fast. I still remember some of the jokes after all these years.
According to Jim himself, the main problems people had with the book were a) that it harmed the milk and cookies image of baseball by revealing that ballplayers sometimes used alcohol, and other substances (like greenies). In The Babe Ruth Story, released in 1948, Ruth, a very hard drinking player, actually goes into a bar and orders a glass of milk. These days it's no big secret that Mickey Mantle was quite the drinking man, or Ruth either. Would it still be a secret now if Bouton hadn't written his book? Probably not. But Bouton also thought that the big problem with the book was that b) it revealed the way salary negotiations worked in those days. Baseball liked to brag about some of their top salaried players, but they really nickel-and-dimed the lesser lights. Bouton doesn't actually take credit for the rise of Free Agency a few years after the book was released, but thought it might have been a contributing factor.
i saw him on cavett a couple times, didnt know dave had him on. always seemed clever enough. man, yes was he disliked back when he wrote that tell-all. i never read his book, but i read graig nettles' book, and i can't see how it would be worse than that (in other words, no different)... also dont forget jim palmer's attempt at a comeback in the 90s. thanks don
I'm reading "I'm Glad You Didn't take It Personal" Mr. Bouton's follow up on Ball Four. So far it's great. You can find both books online free to read.
The Portland Mavericks were owned by Kurt Russell's dad Bing; Kurt played a pro season there before a career-ending injury kick started his acting career.
Ball Four is an awesome read, and much of Bouton's fighting against the owners, who unashamedly lowballed the players is relevant in today's wage theft world. Also, Bouton and his wife/kids had to go through hell to move around from city to city so much..on a fairly low salary.
Was this the same early show where the other two guests were authors, and Dave was so anxious to end the show that he wrapped it early? I think you uploaded a clip of Paul and the band playing the full theme song.
Different show. Other guests here were dinosaur expert Jim Jensen, King of the Hobos Maury Graham, and the first installment of Vespucci Films with LN writers Stephen Winer and Karl Teiderman, for which Bouton had left the stage.
I guess you didn't get the express written consent from the commissioner of Major League Baseball to retransmit the broadcast of the game, if even in the form of a brief clip?😢
I used to e-mail Jim on his website and he always answered me and was a class person. We both agreed that Marvin Miller should be in the HOF and said watch they'll wait until he's dead and that is what happened. The same with Alex Karras.
Sad and RIP Jim!
Loved Reading Ball Four, it was a great book to read and Laugh out Loud Funny!!!
Ball Four one of the best books I have ever read in any genre.
You’re right about that!!!!
Who reads in a genre anyway? Wouldn't it be all dark and dingy and have smoke fumes
@@BaccarWozat Thanks dude, I love dumb jokes like that. 😊
@@BigLar56321 "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx
Came here bc I found a baseball in a plastic case at a flea market, in a bin of junk, for a dollar.
Turns out it’s signed by Bouton. It’s been fun learning about him. Seems like a wild dude. I’m not a big baseball guy, but I think I may keep this find for it’s strange history.
Loved Reading Ball Four, it was great to read, and Laugh out Loud Funny!!!!
My uncle was the ball boy for the Mavericks and said he was a hell of a guy and always looked up to him. Was every bit as charismatic and friendly as he seems.
Beaver shooting!!?!! Hahahaha
Read Ball Four you can find it online.
Battered bastards of baseball. Excellent doc on the maverick’s.
Loved Ball Four, it was a great Book to Read!!
The 2 best baseball books I've ever read were 'The Boys of Summer' by Roger Kahn, and 'Ball Four' by Jim Bouton, the latter being perhaps the most influential sports book ever written. Hated by some of the players and the baseball commissioner, and reviled by the sportwriters who perpetuated the 'milk and cookies' image of players, it told the truth about major league players, coaches and the baseball establishment in a way that was both funny and illuminating. I still read it 50 years later.
RIP Jim Bouton
1939-2019.
What's the Roger Khan book like mate?
@@michaelroberts7374 Great. One of THE best sports books ever written. The book came out in 1972, with Kahn tracking down and visiting with some of the aged Brooklyn Dodger players - the 'Boys of Summer' as they were called - that he had covered as a beat writer for the New York Herald Tribune in the early-mid 1950's.
@@jamesanthony5681 great. That's recommendation enough for me. I'll be back to tell you how it was, and thank you James!!
@@michaelroberts7374 I think you'll enjoy it because It's more than just a baseball book. Kahn died this year at 92.
@@jamesanthony5681 I moved fast to get a copy. It arrived today. ALL the best sports books reach out beyond the parameters of their particular field, making profound observations about life. Can't wait to get wired into it, thanks James
The brief run of his sitcom Ball Four very much nestled in my early TV memories.
I was young at the time, but I was a big baseball fan and excited about the show. I wish they hadn't canned it so fast. I still remember some of the jokes after all these years.
According to Jim himself, the main problems people had with the book were a) that it harmed the milk and cookies image of baseball by revealing that ballplayers sometimes used alcohol, and other substances (like greenies). In The Babe Ruth Story, released in 1948, Ruth, a very hard drinking player, actually goes into a bar and orders a glass of milk. These days it's no big secret that Mickey Mantle was quite the drinking man, or Ruth either. Would it still be a secret now if Bouton hadn't written his book? Probably not.
But Bouton also thought that the big problem with the book was that b) it revealed the way salary negotiations worked in those days. Baseball liked to brag about some of their top salaried players, but they really nickel-and-dimed the lesser lights. Bouton doesn't actually take credit for the rise of Free Agency a few years after the book was released, but thought it might have been a contributing factor.
i saw him on cavett a couple times, didnt know dave had him on. always seemed clever enough. man, yes was he disliked back when he wrote that tell-all. i never read his book, but i read graig nettles' book, and i can't see how it would be worse than that (in other words, no different)... also dont forget jim palmer's attempt at a comeback in the 90s. thanks don
Thanks, Don. I read Ball Four when I was, like, 10 ... maybe 12? Surprised my parents let me. :-D
Well read kid!!!
Ball Four was a very good Baseball Book to read, and Laugh out Loud Funny!!!!
I'm reading "I'm Glad You Didn't take It Personal" Mr. Bouton's follow up on Ball Four. So far it's great. You can find both books online free to read.
The Portland Mavericks were owned by Kurt Russell's dad Bing; Kurt played a pro season there before a career-ending injury kick started his acting career.
I'm pretty sure I watched something about them that was very enjoyable. Just figures that Bouton ended up with them.
Nice! I have his books and chew his gum! ;)
Right out of his mouth? ;)
Ball four ruled! Waited a month for my copy from the states I LOVE BASEBALL X
Awesome!!!!
Big League Chew might had saved countless lives by stopping players from chewing tobacco.
I saw Doug Rader do the same thing once.
Is that Right?
Letterman glosses over the Bouton knuckleball, thus missing the point about this top drawer guy (this is a UK reply) haha English baseball fan
Yes.
Ball Four is an awesome read, and much of Bouton's fighting against the owners, who unashamedly lowballed the players is relevant in today's wage theft world. Also, Bouton and his wife/kids had to go through hell to move around from city to city so much..on a fairly low salary.
Was this the same early show where the other two guests were authors, and Dave was so anxious to end the show that he wrapped it early? I think you uploaded a clip of Paul and the band playing the full theme song.
Different show. Other guests here were dinosaur expert Jim Jensen, King of the Hobos Maury Graham, and the first installment of Vespucci Films with LN writers Stephen Winer and Karl Teiderman, for which Bouton had left the stage.
Pound that Bud!
Up and at em, Fuck em all, Let it all hang out!!!!
I guess you didn't get the express written consent from the commissioner of Major League Baseball to retransmit the broadcast of the game, if even in the form of a brief clip?😢
Better safe than blocked or, worse, taken down.
Foortge of his Dodgers outing missing.
Don, get your Clint Eastwood clips ready. He's next.
*cues up Enrico Morricone*