Jimmy Piersall

James Anthony Piersall (born November 14, 1929 in Waterbury, Connecticut) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball. Between 1950 and 1967, he played for the Boston Red Sox (1950, 1952-58), Cleveland Indians (1959-61), Washington Senators (1962-63), New York Mets (1963) and Los Angeles & California Angels (1963-67).

Professional Baseball Career

Piersall became a professional at age 18, signing a free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox in 1948. He would reach the majors in 1950, playing in six games as one of the youngest players in baseball. In 1952 he earned a more substantial role with the Red Sox. The young outfielder frequently referred to himself as "The Waterbury Wizard", a nickname which was not well-received by teammates.

Related Topics:
Free agent - Boston Red Sox - 1948 - 1950 - 1952 - Outfielder

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It was at this time that Piersall's mental condition began to deteriorate, culminating in an on-field nervous breakdown. Piersall immediately entered treatment and would not return that season. According to his autobiography, Piersall blamed much of his condition on his father, who placed excessive pressure on him to succeed as a baseball player as a small child.

Related Topics:
Nervous breakdown - Baseball

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Nevertheless, not only would Piersall return to baseball by the opening of the 1953 season, but he finished ninth in voting for the MVP Award. The next year he became the Red Sox's regular center fielder, taking over for Dom DiMaggio and playing well enough to remain a fixture in the starting lineup through 1958.

Related Topics:
1953 - MVP Award - Red Sox - Center fielder - Dom DiMaggio - 1958

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Piersall was selected to the American League All-Star team in 1954 and 1956, and his consistently solid outfield play (which earned favorable comparisons to Joe DiMaggio) earned him a Gold Glove Award in 1958. Piersall was then traded to the Cleveland Indians, with whom he earned a second Gold Glove in 1961. After that season, he was traded to the Washington Senators where his career began to decline. He would play in a backup role for the New York Mets and the Angels before his retirement in 1967.

Related Topics:
American League All-Star - 1954 - 1956 - Joe DiMaggio - Gold Glove Award - 1958 - Cleveland Indians - Gold Glove - 1961 - Washington Senators - New York Mets - 1967

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In a 17-season career, Piersall was a .272 hitter with 104 home runs and 591 RBI in 1734 games. His most productive season came in 1956 with the Red Sox, when he posted a league-leading 40 doubles and 156 games played with 91 runs, 87 RBI, and a .293 batting average. In 1957 he collected 19 home runs and 103 runs. For the Indians, Piersall hit .282 with a career-high 18 steals in 1960, and finished third in the batting race in 1961 with a .322 average, behind Detroit Tigers Norm Cash (.361) and Al Kaline (.324).

Related Topics:
.272 hitter - Home run - RBI - Games - Doubles - Runs - 1957 - Home runs - Steals - 1960 - 1961 - Detroit Tigers - Norm Cash - Al Kaline

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Piersall dealt with his illness and notoriety with an affable, jovial disposition and occasionally eccentric on-field behavior. He once played a game in a Beatles wig, led cheers for himself in the outfield during breaks in play, "talked" to Babe Ruth behind the center field monuments at Yankee Stadium, and ran the bases backwards after his 100th home run. His attitude towards his illness can be summed up in a quote from his autobiography --"Probably the best thing that ever happened to me was going nuts. Whoever heard of Jimmy Piersall, until that happened?"

Related Topics:
Beatles - Babe Ruth - Center field - Yankee Stadium

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