Jim Piersall

James Anthony Piersall (November 14, 1929 – June 3, 2017) was a center fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball for five teams between 1950 and 1967. A native of Waterbury, Connecticut, Piersall signed with the Boston Red Sox in 1948 and reached the majors in 1950. He established himself as one of the game's premier defensive outfielders, leading American League center fielders in fielding percentage and total zone runs five times each. On June 10, 1953, he set a Red Sox club record with six hits in a nine-inning game. His battle with bipolar disorder became the subject of the book and film *Fear Strikes Out*.