Jim Hunter

James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter (April 8, 1946 – September 9, 1999) was an American professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1979. He played for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees.

Born and raised in Hertford, in northeast North Carolina, Hunter was the youngest of eight children and grew up on a farm. He excelled in a variety of sports at Perquimans County High School, where he played linebacker and offensive tackle in football.

Over a fifteen-year career, Hunter became the only pitcher since 1915 to win 200 games by age 31. He was a member of five World Series championship teams and is often referred to as baseball's first big-money free agent. Persistent arm problems led him to retire at age 33 following the 1979 season.

Hunter was married to Helen Hunter, with whom he had three children. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. In his early 50s he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and died of the disease about a year after his diagnosis. He has been the subject of numerous popular culture references, including the Bob Dylan song "Catfish."