BILL LEE TURNS SIXTY-FIVE

"THE SPACEMAN"

NOTCHES

SIXTY-FIVE YEARS

b. December 28, 1946

WILLIAM FRANCIS ("BILL") LEE III

Bill Lee pitched left-handed for the Boston Red Sox (1969-1978) and then the Montreal Expos (1979-1982). He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame, but apparently had his major-league career cut short after 1982 for reasons that had less to do with his pitching and more to do with his personality ("The Spaceman"). Still, last year, on September 5, 2010, he became the oldest pitcher to win a professional game, playing for the minor league Brockton (Massachusetts) Rox. Lee was sixty-three; details can be found here and here and here.

Besides having written four books himself (with co-authors), Bill Lee seems to have inspired some interesting writing; samples can be found here and here and here. There is also a film, "Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey" (information here and here).

JOHN UPDIKE STRIKES OUT; CHANGES SPORTSWRITING

HOW JOHN UPDIKE 

CAME TO 

WRITE ABOUT 

BASEBALL 

JOHN UPDIKE AT FENWAY PARK 

WITH THE WORLD SERIES TROPHY 

Charles McGrath has an article in the New York Times on John Updike's tribute to Ted Williams, "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu," which McGrath calls "probably the most celebrated baseball essay ever."   He adds, "It’s not too much to say that 'Hub Fans' changed sportswriting."  (He cites Roger Angell as someone who learned from Updike.)  

And how did Updike come to be present for Ted Williams's last home run?  He was playing a rather different game involving his wife, Mary, and an unknown woman possibly to be named later? 

More Updike here 

ROGER ANGELL TURNS NINETY

ROGER ANGELL 

b. September 19, 1920 

ROGER ANGELL AT FENWAY PARK 

NEW YORKER EDITOR & WRITER 

"considered one of the best baseball writers of all time"