| Catfish Hunter  AKA James Augustus Hunter
Born: 8-Apr-1946
Birthplace: Hertford, NC
Died: 9-Sep-1999
Location of death: Hertford, NC
Cause of death: Lou Gehrig's Disease
Remains: Buried, Cedarwood Cemetery, Hertford, NC
Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Baseball Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Pitched a perfect game in 1968 The name "Catfish" was invented by A's owner Charlie Finley, to lend him some "backwoods" character. Hunter pitched a perfect game on 8 May 1968 for the Oakland A's against the Minnesota twins, the first for the American League since 1922 and the 7th in Major League Baseball history. He played for the Kansas City Athletics 1965-7, and moved to Oakland when the team did (1968-74). When the A's failed to hold to a contract-mandated insurance payment, Catfish became the league's first free agent, and joined the New York Yankees for the remainder of his career (1974-9.) While at the Yankees he had the highest MLB salary, a $3.75M, five-year contract. After retirement from baseball Hunter maintained a farm in Hertford until his death from Lou Gehrig's disease in 1999.
Father: Abbott Hunter
Mother: Lillie Hunter
Wife: Helen (m. 9-Oct-1966, three children)
High School: Perquimans County High School, Hertford, NC
Cy Young Award 1974
Baseball Hall of Fame 1987
Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame 1990
Risk Factors: Diabetes
SPORTS FRANCHISE HISTORY
New York Yankees Pitcher (1975-79)
Oakland Athletics Pitcher (1968-74)
Kansas City Athletics Pitcher (1965-67)
Author of books:
Catfish Hunter's Southern Cookbook (1982, cookbook)
Catfish: My Life in Baseball (1988, memoir, with Armen Keteyian)
Cooking with "Catfish" Hunter (1990, cookbook)
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