Jim Bouton, Author of "Ball Four" Dead at 80

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Jim Bouton, the former Yankee pitcher and author of the tell-all book, "Ball Four," died last night. (https://www-espn-com.cdn.ampproject.org/…/bouton-ex-yankee-…)

He was 80 years old. He'd had a stroke in 2012 and never been the same since. He died of a brain disease, that was linked to dementia.

"Ball Four" (1969) and his followup "I'm Glad You Didn't Take it Personally" (1971) highlighted how poorly baseball players were treated prior to free agency.

Bouton's books helped usher in the era of free agency, giving backing to the Curt Flood case and helping bring free agency, first to baseball, which then spread to the other professional sports.

Jim Bouton helped change, not only baseball, but the entire professional sports landscape...with his pen.