Jimmy Piersall

[Booth]

I have just read about the passing of baseball great at the age of 87. He was one of my baseball heros in the late 50's and early 60's. He was not a superstar player but he was a good all around player who would do everthing to make a game more fun and watchable. Two things stand out that he did that i still remember from over 50 years ago, he kick a fan in the butt when the fan ran on the field and when he hit his 100th home run he ran around the bases backwards. It was unforgettable. I loved baseball back then.

 

[sport historian]

I remember Jimmy Piersall from childhood. He was a famous player in the 50's and early 60's and was known as one of the best center fielders in the game.

 

[Carolina Speed]

I remember Jimmy Piersall from childhood. He was a famous player in the 50's and early 60's and was known as one of the best center fielders in the game.

I was too young to see him play, but I watched the movie about him, "Fear Strikes Out," several times. I first heard about him because my high school girlfriends mother played Piersall's wife in the movie. It stars Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden. Piersall, suffered from mental illness, but distanced himself from the movie because it was largely fictional and portrayed his father too negatively. Pretty good movie though.

 

[Flint]

Parts of the movie "Fear Strikes Out" was filmed at Tiger Stadium and Tiger great Al Kaline assisted in the baseball scenes. Piersall was played by Tony Perkins, who frankly looked horrible as a baseball player. Al Kaline referred to Tony Perkins as the "***" that played Piersall.

 

[Extra Point]

Jimmy Piersall used to be an announcer for the Chicago White Sox. He and Harry Carey made a great team.

Piersall had a line he used when someone called him crazy. He said, "I'm not crazy and I have the papers to prove it."