Catfish Hunter retired at age 33 following the 1979 season, after developing persistent arm problems, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987.
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30 Facts About Catfish Hunter
2.
Catfish Hunter was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in his early 50s, and died of the disease about a year after his diagnosis.
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3.
Youngest son of eight children, Catfish Hunter was born and raised in Hertford in northeast North Carolina.
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4.
Catfish Hunter played linebacker and offensive tackle in football as well as shortstop, cleanup batter, and pitcher in baseball.
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5.
The accident left Catfish Hunter somewhat hobbled and jeopardized his prospects in the eyes of many professional scouts, but the Kansas City Athletics signed Catfish Hunter to a contract.
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Baseball North Carolina Hertford Kansas City Indiana Florida Charlie Robertson Philadelphia Oakland New York Yankees San Francisco Giants Kansas City Royals San Diego Padres Baltimore Orioles Jim Palmer Cy Young Christy Mathewson Walter Johnson World Series ALS Bay Area Oakland Athletics6.
Catfish Hunter recovered in La Porte, Indiana, at the farm of Athletics owner Charles O Finley.
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7.
Catfish Hunter made his professional baseball debut in the Florida Instructional League in 1964 but otherwise never played in the minor leagues.
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8.
Catfish Hunter became the American League's first perfect game pitcher since Charlie Robertson in 1922, as well as the franchise's first no-hit pitcher since Bill McCahan in 1947 with what were then the Philadelphia Athletics.
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9.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning; at the plate, Catfish Hunter got three hits and drove in three of Oakland's four runs with a squeeze bunt in the seventh and a bases-loaded single in the eighth.
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10.
Catfish Hunter had won 161 games for the A's, 131 in seven seasons in Oakland and 30 in his first three seasons in Kansas City.
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11.
On February 11,1974, Catfish Hunter agreed with the A's on a two-year, $200,000 contract with a clause stipulating that $50,000 payments be made to a life insurance annuity of his choosing in each of the two seasons.
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12.
Catfish Hunter recalled being scared after he was declared a free agent.
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13.
Two weeks after he won his arbitration, Catfish Hunter became the highest-paid player in baseball and highest-paid pitcher in history when he signed a five-year contract with the New York Yankees worth $3.
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14.
Catfish Hunter had been courted by 23 of the 24 teams, including the A's but not the San Francisco Giants, and refused higher offers from the San Diego Padres and the Kansas City Royals.
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15.
Catfish Hunter led the league in wins for the second year in a row, and led the league in innings pitched and complete games to finish second to Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Cy Young balloting.
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16.
Catfish Hunter was the last major league pitcher to throw 30 complete games in a season.
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17.
Catfish Hunter became only the fourth American League pitcher to win 20 games in a season for five consecutive seasons.
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18.
In 1976, Catfish Hunter won 17 games, led the Yankees in complete games and innings pitched, and was again named to the All-Star team.
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19.
In 1976, Catfish Hunter became the fourth major league pitcher to win 200 games before the age of 31 and the only one since Walter Johnson in 1915, preceded by Cy Young and Christy Mathewson.
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20.
Catfish Hunter retired with appearances in six World Series and with five World Series championships.
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21.
Catfish Hunter returned to his farm in Hertford where he grew soybeans, corn, peanuts, and cotton, and was a spokesman for diabetes awareness.
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22.
Catfish Hunter was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease.
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24.
Catfish Hunter was unconscious for several days after the fall, but he had returned home from that hospitalization when he died.
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25.
Catfish Hunter is interred at Cedarwood Cemetery in Hertford, adjacent to the field where he played high school baseball.
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Baseball North Carolina Hertford Kansas City Indiana Florida Charlie Robertson Philadelphia Oakland New York Yankees San Francisco Giants Kansas City Royals San Diego Padres Baltimore Orioles Jim Palmer Cy Young Christy Mathewson Walter Johnson World Series ALS Bay Area Oakland Athletics26.
Catfish Hunter was credited by Steinbrenner as the cornerstone of the Yankees in their return to championship form.
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27.
In 1990, Catfish Hunter was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.
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28.
On September 5,2018, Catfish Hunter was inducted into the Oakland Athletics first Hall of Fame class, with wife, Helen, there to receive the honor.
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29.
Catfish Hunter exemplified class and dignity and he taught us how to win.
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30.
Catfish Hunter has been the subject of multiple popular culture references.
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