Catfish Hunter, American baseball player (b. 1946)
James Augustus Hunter (April 8, 1946 – September 9, 1999), nicknamed "Catfish", was a professional baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB). From 1965 to 1979, he was a pitcher for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. Hunter was the first pitcher since 1915 to win 200 career games by the age of 31. He is often referred to as baseball's first big-money free agent. He was a member of five World Series championship teams.
Hunter retired in 1979 after developing persistent arm problems. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in his early 50s. He died of the disease about a year after his diagnosis. Hunter has been the subject of numerous popular culture references, including the Bob Dylan song "Catfish".
1999Sep, 9
Catfish Hunter
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Events on 1999
- 21Jan
United States Coast Guard
War on Drugs: In one of the largest drug busts in American history, the United States Coast Guard intercepts a ship with over 4,300 kilograms (9,500 lb) of cocaine on board. - 12Mar
Czech Republic
Former Warsaw Pact members the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland join NATO. - 8Apr
Indian National Congress
Haryana Gana Parishad, a political party in the Indian state of Haryana, merges with the Indian National Congress. - 29May
International Space Station
Space Shuttle Discovery completes the first docking with the International Space Station. - 27Nov
Helen Clark
The centre-left Labour Party takes control of the New Zealand government with leader Helen Clark becoming the first elected female Prime Minister in New Zealand's history.