Jim “Jimmy” Piersall, who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1959 to 1961, died on Saturday, June 3, after a lengthy illness. He was 87 years old.
Although he was a decent player—he played in the major leagues as an outfielder for 17 years, compiled a batting average of .272, won two Gold Gloves, and played in two All-Star games—Piersall was best known for his unpredictable and often outlandish behavior. Prone to mocking his fellow athletes on the field, Piersall frequently started fights with players from other teams, with umpires, and with his own teammates. In 1952, while a member of the Boston Red Sox, Piersall was admitted to a mental hospital with a case of what would later be known…
