Jimmy piersall, the often outrageous outfielder and broadcaster whose emotional breakdown while a rookie with the boston red sox was portrayed in the 1957 movie fear strikes out, a rare glimpse, for its time, at an athletes mental illness, died on saturday in wheaton, ill. Jimmy piersall, baseball player whose mental illness was. It is based on piersall s 1955 memoir fear strikes out. I too had heard a little of the legend but hadnt read the book or seen the movie and the post peaked my interest as well. He talks about having a nervous breakdown and being admitted to a mental hospital for therapy. Red sox star jimmy piersall, who struggled with mental. Anthony perkins stars as piersall in this powerful true story. The film stars anthony perkins as piersall and karl malden as his father, and it was the first directed by robert mulligan. Piersall fell in love with baseball at a young age, but his domineering father forced jimmy to not only achieve, but to play to perfection. With the help of sportswriter al hirshberg, in 1955 piersalls autobiography, fear strikes out, first excerpted in the saturday evening post, was published in the spring. In this book jim relates the story of his life including his breakdown in 1952 and recovery. Jimmy piersall, former baseball player and broadcaster.
Spoilers over overall, fear strikes out may have been something of a distortion of reality and obviously jimmy piersall himself thought so and it probably oversimplifies piersall s psychological problems, but it does tell its own story beautifully and artfully with incredible performances and spoton direction. Piersall published an autobiography, fear strikes out. Staff writer richard goldstein in the new york times 06042017, jimmy piersall. Fear strikes out jimmy piersall was a talented player bedeviled by mental illness. There are enough films about baseball and famous ballplayers in the american cinema to constitute its own subgenre but fear strikes out 1957 is a special case that stands alone. Piersall was best known for his wellpublicized battle with bipolar disorder that became the subject of the book and movie fear strikes out. Fear strikes out critics consensus based on the true story of troubled baseball star jimmy piersall, fear strikes out is an emotionally compelling drama featuring excellent performances from. Apr 30, 20 when the record book closed on boston red sox outfielder jimmy piersall s career, it showed 17 seasons in the major leagues and an impressive lifetime batting average of. Opinion jimmy piersalls raw and memorable coaching the. Jim piersall, 22 year old outfielder for the boston red sox, had a mental breakdown in 1952. Spoilers over overall, fear strikes out may have been something of a distortion of reality and obviously jimmy piersall himself thought so and it probably oversimplifies piersalls psychological problems, but it does tell its own story beautifully and artfully with incredible performances and spoton direction.
Boston ap former major leaguer jim piersall, who bared his soul about his struggles with mental illness in his book fear strikes. With anthony perkins, karl malden, norma moore, adam williams. Chicago sunday tribunethe story of a man who became. Fso is more concerned with jimmys nervous breakdown in 1952 and his subsequent recovery. Piersalls honesty in interviews about his earlier ordeal and in his 1955 book, fear strikes out. The jim piersall story by jim piersall, al hirshberg.
Piersall would later write about the experience in a book, fear strikes out, which would later be turned into a movie starring anthony perkins. That night was wife was placing an amazon order for some gifts for a baby shower and i asked her to tack on fear strikes out by. The success of the book led to the film release in. Story of rookie baseball players mental breakdown and. Jim piersall, 22 year old outfielder for the boston red sox, had a mental breakdown in 1952one so complete that seven months virtually have vanished from his memory. Piersall cowrote his biography in 1955 titled fear strikes out. Piersall was best known for his wellpublicized battle with bipolar disorder that became the subject of a book and a film, fear strikes out. Piersall was best known for his wellpublicized battle with bipolar disorder that became. The film was based on the book by piersall which had been adapted for tv in 1955 for the show climax. Jimmy piersall simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. I was a funny man, a baseball clown, and where the red sox went, the fans flocked to see me, piersall said in his 1955 book, fear strikes out, written with al hirshberg. Possibly angry that he wasnt cast to play himself on the screen, he later disowned fear strikes out upon its release. Boston former major leaguer jim piersall, who bared his soul about his struggles with mental illness in his book fear strikes out, has died.
There are movies that should be tv shows and tv shows that would have done better as fulllength films. So who better to portray him than anthony perkins, right. Hirshberg, the film is less about jimmy piersalls brilliant though erratic. Jimmy piersall, whose mental illness was portrayed in.
The twotime allstar jimmy piersall wrote the book fear strikes out about his battle with bipolar disorder. True story of boston red sox outfielder jimmy piersall, anthony perkins, struggle with mental illness by desperately wanting to please his domineering father john. The success of the book led to the film release in march of 1957 of fear strikes out, with. Piersall, the former outfielder and shortstop for the boston red sox, and albert s. Aug 29, 2008 fear strikes out tells the tale of jimmy piersall, who played for the boston red sox in the early to late 1950s. As the boston red sox announced sunday, piersall died at age 87, following an illness. Jimmy piersall, ballplayer whose struggles were portrayed in fear. Al hirshberg when jim piersall first donned a boston red sox uniform. Go search best sellers gift ideas new releases deals store coupons. Jimmy piersall, the colorful allstar outfielder who famously was hospitalized with mental illness during his playing career and detailed his struggle in. Jan 11, 2014 anthony perkins as red sox outfielder jimmy piersall flips out after homering in a scene from the 1957 movie, fear strikes out. Fso is more concerned with jimmy s nervous breakdown in 1952 and his subsequent recovery. Several passages in the book are written in firstperson narrative, as the author illustrates piersalls uncontrolled racing thoughts. As for the real jimmy piersall, he was barred from the set during filming for fear of influencing the cast members but he still called in every day to see how the film was progressing.
Jimmy piersall, ballplayer whose struggles were portrayed in. The back of the book says that the breakdown was so complete that seven months virtually have vanished. Piersall was selected to the american league allstar team in 1954 and 1956. Anthony perkins as red sox outfielder jimmy piersall flips out after homering in a scene from the 1957 movie, fear strikes out.
Exmajor leaguer, former cleveland indian, jimmy piersall. Piersalls constant manipulating can be traced to his sons mental breakdown. In 1955, piersall published his autobiography which he called fear strikes out. Jun 04, 2017 jimmy piersall, the often outrageous outfielder and broadcaster whose emotional breakdown while a rookie with the boston red sox was portrayed in the 1957 movie fear strikes out, a rare. Jimmy piersall, the often outrageous outfielder and broadcaster whose emotional breakdown while a rookie with the boston red sox was. Piersall was a popular player with the boston red sox. This account of his experiences is a frank and fascinating one. Karl malden appears as piersall s overbearing father. In 1955, his book fear strikes out, coauthored by al hirshberg, was published. Jimmy piersall, a red sox star who was open about struggles.
Fear strikes out is a 1957 american biographical sports drama film depicting the life and career of american baseball player jimmy piersall. When the record book closed on boston red sox outfielder jimmy piersall s career, it showed 17 seasons in the major leagues and an impressive lifetime batting average of. Fear strikes out also marks the filmmaking debut of alan j. Pakula and robert mulligan, the team whose credits include to kill a mockingbird. Jimmy piersall, whose mental illness was portrayed in fear. True story of the life of jimmy piersall, who battled mental illness. Piersall s constant manipulating can be traced to his sons mental breakdown. Jimmy piersall passed away on june 3, 2017 at the age of 87. But before he racked up those numbers, piersall faced a foe much tougher that a 90m. This account of his experience is a frank and fascinating one. He and willy mays of the giants were the best defensive center fielders in pro baseball then and perhaps ever.
It is based on piersalls 1955 memoir fear strikes out. Others knew him from the book and the movie about his struggles with mental illness fear strikes out. Jimmy piersall, ballplayer whose struggles were portrayed. Karl malden appears as piersalls overbearing father. Detroit jimmy piersall, who shared his struggle with mental illness in his autobiography fear strikes out and always spoke his mind as harry carays fiery sidekick on white sox. Jun 04, 2017 boston ap former major leaguer jim piersall, who bared his soul about his struggles with mental illness in his book fear strikes out, has died. He may have been the most unforgettable baseball character of the 1950s, largely due to a bestselling book and a movie of the same name, fear strikes out. Jim piersall, 22 year old outfielder for the boston red sox, had. James anthony piersall was an american baseball center fielder who played 17 seasons in major league baseball mlb for five teams, from 1950 through 1967. Jimmy piersall, an outfielder who was one of the most eccentric and volatile. Piersalls fear strikes out story inspirational blogs. Jimmy piersall, whose mental illness was portrayed in fear strikes. It became the subject of a 1957 movie version, fear strikes out, in which piersall was portrayed by anthony perkins and his father by karl malden, directed by robert mulligan.
Jimmy piersall was one of the greatest outfielders of the 1950s and 60s. Jun 03, 2017 piersall cowrote his biography in 1955 titled fear strikes out. Piersall eventually disowned the film because of what he saw as its distortion of the. The magazine series, book, and movie delivered a powerful antistigma message on a national scale. Fear strikes out tells the tale of jimmy piersall, who played for the boston red sox in the early to late 1950s. Mlb legend jimmy piersall dead at 87 new york post. The story of a man who became mentally sick, and how, through competent medical care, the help of a sympathetic and most. Al hirshberg when jim piersall first donned a boston red sox uniform, he quickly distinguished himself as one of baseballs most colorful figures. Jun 09, 2017 jimmy piersalls raw and memorable coaching. Fear strikes out 1957 synopsis rising from the sandlots of waterbury, connecticut to the boston red sox, baseball player jimmy piersall must contend with his domineering father whose fierce ambition drives piersall to a nervous breakdown. Jun 04, 2017 the twotime allstar jimmy piersall wrote the book fear strikes out about his battle with bipolar disorder.
The book was the basis for the movie, in which piersall was portrayed by anthony perkins. Jun 05, 2017 jimmy piersall, an outfielder who was one of the most eccentric and volatile players in baseball history, whose struggles with mental illness were depicted in the book and film fear strikes out. In fear strikes out, anthony perkins plays the allstar boston red sox outfielder jimmy piersall, who is groomed for stardom by his father. I was a funny man, a baseball clown, and where the red sox went, the fans flocked to see me, piersall said in his 1955 book, fear strikes out. The jim piersall story 9780803287617 by piersall, jim and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices.
When the record book closed on boston red sox outfielder jimmy piersalls career, it showed 17 seasons in the major leagues and an impressive lifetime batting average of. The jim piersall story, cowritten with al hirshberg. Opinion jimmy piersalls raw and memorable coaching. In 1957, a film version of fear strikes out was released in movie theaters across the country. Piersall wrote of suffering from anxietyrelated headaches. Jimmy piersall, an outfielder who was one of the most eccentric and volatile players in baseball history, whose struggles with mental illness were depicted in the book and film fear strikes out. Bbtfs newsblog discussion jimmy piersall, whose mental.