James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter - Hertford, North Carolina - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

James “Catfish” Hunter was born on April 8, 1946 in Hertford, North Carolina. He attended Perquimans High School where he played football and baseball. In November 1963 he suffered an injury to his right foot due to a hunting accident that required treatment at the Mayo Clinic. Following surgery he recovered at the farm of Kansas City A’s owner Charlie Finley. Following his recovery Hunter would begin his major career playing for the Kansas City and Oakland A’s from 1965 – 1974. Following the 1974 season Hunter became a free-agent and eventually signed with the New York Yankees. He would play for the Yankees from 1975 – 1979. During his Major League Career, Jim “Catfish” Hunter had a record of 224-166, with a career ERA of 326 and striking out 2,012. On May 8, 1968 he pitched a perfect game against the Minnesota Twins. He was an eight time all-star, and won five World Series; 1972, 1973, and 1974 with the Oakland A’s and 1977 and 1978 with the Yankees. He won the Cy Young award in 1974 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. Following his retirement her returned to his farm in Hertford, North Carolina where he was later diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Jim “Catfish” Hunter died on September 9, 1999 and is resting in the Cedarwood Cemetery in his native Hertford, North Carolina.

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Description: James Augustus Hunter,was born on April 8, 1946, on a farm near Hertford, North Carolina. Hunter claimed that he learned to pitch from his three older brothers, and developed his famous control by throwing baseballs through a hole in the barn door. He was known as "Jimmy" in his home-town, but was professionally called "Catfish," a nickname invented by Charlie Finley, the owner of the Kansas City, then Oakland, Athletics, for whom he pitched between 1965 to 1974. Hunter was named to the American League All-Star team eight times, the first two times (in 1966 and 1967) despite the less-than stellar performance of his team. He pitched a perfect game on May 8, 1968, after the A??s had moved to Oakland, against the Minnesota Twins. It was the first regular-season American League perfect game since 1922. The A??s went on to win three straight World Series titles between 1972 and 1974, and Hunter distinguished himself as a leader on these championship teams. He won the Cy Young Award in 1974, compiling a record of twenty-five wins and twelve losses, with a league-leading 2.49 earned run average (e.r.a.). At the end of that season, Hunter discovered a clause in his contract that had not been honored by the A??s, and in arbitration, Hunter won free agency, a status that was essentially unheard of at the time. His availability started a bidding war between all but one of the twenty-four major league teams. He ultimately chose to sign with the New York Yankees, who offered him $3.35 million for five years, including a $1 million signing bonus, along with other annuities. It was the largest package in baseball history at the time, and its impact is still felt by players today. In his first year with the Yankees, 1975, Hunter went on to lead the league, with twenty-three wins. Though his record was never quite as good in the following years, he played a valuable role in the Yankees World Series teams of 1977 and 1978. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner credited Hunter with teaching the team a winning spirit. When Hunter retired in 1979, at the age of thirty-three, he had compiled an impressive record of 224 wins and 166 losses, with a career e.r.a. of 3.26. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. After Hunter retired he returned to Hertford, N.C., and worked on his farm, where he pursued his life-long love for fishing and hunting. In 1998, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which claimed his life a year later. Source/Credit: http://www.biography.com/people/catfish-hunter-9542198#profile Date of birth: 04/08/1946 Date of death: 09/09/1999 Area of notoriety: Sports Marker Type: Headstone Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daily: Dawn to Dusk Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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