Once a pitcher for the New York Yankees, he began as a young flame-throwing phenom, helping them win a pair of pennants in 1963-4. His arm's fortunes followed the team's - downward. An attempt to salvage his career by learning the knuckleball (pitching for the 1969 Seattle Pilots expansion team) is documented in his diary Ball Four. After retirement, he went on to brief sportscaster and acting gigs, including Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye and a TV version of his book.