Give him some low smoke and we’ll go and pound some Bud

So, Jim Bouton just died. I read Ball Four as a kid - easily the best baseball book ever. If you're a fan of 70s baseball, I assume you've read it. For those who haven't read it, Ball Four describes what baseball was like before all the players were scientifically-trained millionaire automatons. Bouton played for the expansion Seattle Pilots and their head coach, Joe Schultz, inspired the players by telling them to win so they could pound some Budweiser after the game. The quote comes from a meeting at the mound where the pitcher asked Schultz if there was any way he'd like him to pitch to Tom Matchick and Shultz said "Nah, bleep him, give him some low smoke and we’ll go and pound some Budweiser." Seems a fitting epitaph for Jim Bouton.

Lots of great quotes from that book. I was in the 8th Grade when I got it for Christmas from my parents in 1970. They had no idea what it was. After that my father blamed everything I did wrong on "that damned book".

Two great posts. Thanks, guys!