BALL FOUR: My Life and Hard Times Throwing the Knuckleball in the Big Leagues

Sex And Drugs and Knuckleballs

BALL FOUR: My Life and Hard Times Throwing the Knuckleball in the Big Leagues

By Jim Bouton, edited by Leonard Shecter

(1970)

Inscribed first edition of "the book that changed baseball" (NPR) — a hilarious demystification of the national pastime and one of the greatest books on the sport ever written.

Very good minus in a very good minus jacket.

Price: $450.00

BALL FOUR: My Life and Hard Times Throwing the Knuckleball in the Big Leagues

"There's pettiness in baseball, and meanness and stupidity beyond belief, and everything else bad that you'll find outside of baseball."

Praised by the great baseball writer Roger Angell in THE NEW YORKER ("a rare view of a highly complex public profession seen from the innermost inside, along with an even more rewarding inside view of an ironic and courageous mind"), BALL FOUR also exposed the dirty secrets of the major leagues. Bouton's badmouthing of everyone from Carl Yastrzemski to Mickey Mantle — as well as his descriptions of philandering husbands and upper-popping all stars — made the book a bestseller and pioneered the "tell-all" memoir. BALL FOUR has since gone on to numerous revised editions, with more than 5 million copies in print. The true first, however, remains uncommon. A nice example of this baseball classic, uncommon signed.

The Object

First printing. New York and Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, (1970). 9'' x 5.75''. Original full pale blue cloth. In original unclipped ($6.95) photographic jacket designed by Milton Charles. xiv, 402 pages. Inscribed by Bouton on the front free endpaper: "For Butch / 'Smoke 'em inside' / Jim Bouton." Jacket moderately rubbed and edgeworn with some creasing and soil. Small dampstain to verso at spine. Book with mottling to cloth. A bit shaken. Some foxing to endpapers. A bit shabby, but sound and presents well.

The Fine Print

We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.

We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.

All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.

All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.

International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.

We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.

If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.

Add to Cart Ask a Question Add to Wish List

More by Jim Bouton, Leonard Shecter