For "Ball Four" fans

Some news from Larry Stone, Seattle Times:

<i>Bouton's "Ball Four" redux as an e-book

"Ball Four" is back, and for those of us who were bowled over by this book as a kid and still revere it as an adult, that's always cause to celebrate.

Jim Bouton's classic diary of the 1969 season - much of it centered on his time with the expansion Seattle Pilots - is being rereleased by Rosetta as an e-book, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bouton's first career win with the New York Yankees. It will be a Kindle exclusive, and it will be the same hilarious, ribald tale that let the world know that - gasp - ballplayers weren't choir boys.

"I've been getting so much email from fans saying that is the 21st century, we'd like to have this as an e-book," Bouton said in a phone interview.

The book will also be released in audible form via audible.com, with Bouton himself - now 73 - doing the reading. As one who has heard Bouton read from the book, I can vouch that it was a wise choice to have him do it rather than an actor.

"An actor, as much as they have a trained voice, usually a great voice, they weren't there," Bouton said. "I'm not sure an actor could capture that environment."

The process of reliving "Ball Four" is getting more poignant for Bouton with the passing of many key characters in the book. Pilots teammate Don Mincher died on March 4 - the 11th player from the '69 Pilots to die, in addition to manager Joe Schultz.

"It's heartbreaking," Bouton said. "Probably more heartbreaking for me than anyone else. I've been living with these guys for so many years. I know them so intimately now. I remember them not so much as players but as human beings. I've answered so many questions and so many emails, done so many talks, my Seattle Pilot teammates are like members of my family. I love every one of them."

And now they're going to live again in a 21st century format.</i>

 

Looking forward to hearing how Bouton does Schultz doing "shitfuck" and "fuckshit"

 

Can we get some graphic illustrations when the woman's old tomato makes an appearance?

 

That's one audio book I would get.

 

Sounds like a good read while you're pounding some Budweiser

 

Last year, I re-read it day-by-day. Nice to have a couple of new alternatives this year.

Hard to think of Bouton as 73. Frankie Crosetti was "only" 59 when he coached for the Pilots in 1969.

I read somewhere that Bouton still has all his original notes and the tapes that he sent to Len Shecter during that season. There should be a coffee table book based on the unreleased material.

 

Read it and Brabender will crush your spleen.

 

If Mr. Talbert hits a grand slam in a certain inning, a lucky fan will win a Kindle to read Ball Four on.

 

To hell with everything that's been mentioned here. I want to hear Jimmy sing "Proud to be an Astro"

 

Thanks for the notice, Smasher, I immediately went to Amazon and downloaded it for my Kindle Fire. Don't know when I'll get to reading it again, but it will be great to have on there when I want to look at it.

For those who asked, the ebook has all the updates he added for the 1980, 1990 and 2000 editions, which is great, because I haven't had any luck finding the 2000 edition, which he called "The Final Pitch."

 

Also, will he sing "It Makes a Fellow Proud to be an Astro" a capella?